#357 Haruki Murakami

Haruki Murakami's journey of discovering and nurturing his dual obsessions—writing and running—spans over 30 years and is a testament to the power of dedication and routine. Murakami's disciplined lifestyle, characterized by an unwavering commitment to his daily writing and running routines, underscores the importance of consistency over intensity. He emphasizes that true passion, which suits one's authentic self, is crucial for long-term success. Through his memoir, Murakami illustrates how physical exercise and focused work can serve as metaphors for life, teaching resilience, focus, and the importance of maintaining a balanced routine to achieve personal and professional fulfillment.

• Haruki Murakami's two major obsessions: writing novels and running.
• His dedication to these obsessions has led to useful ideas and personal discoveries.

"It takes Haruki Murakami over 30 years to find his two obsessions, which is writing novels and running. But once he finds them and dedicates his life to them, he discovers a lot of useful ideas that you and I can use in our work."

• Murakami's routine and dedication to writing and running are examples of how consistent effort leads to personal growth and success.

• Murakami's daily schedule while writing a novel: wakes up at 4:00 AM, writes for 5-6 hours, runs a 10K, swims, reads, listens to music, runs errands, and sleeps by 9:00 PM.
• Emphasizes consistency over intensity by maintaining a balanced routine.

"Unless it's totally unavoidable, he runs every single day. Not only does he run every single day, this is his schedule when he's writing a novel. He wakes up at 04:00 a.m. he writes for five or 6 hours, completely uninterrupted. Then he'll go and run a ten k."

• Murakami's approach to writing and running involves stopping when he feels he can do more, ensuring smooth progress the next day.

"I stop every day right at the point where I feel I can write more. Do that, and the next day's work goes surprisingly smooth."

• Routine is crucial for long-term projects, helping to maintain momentum and rhythm.
• Routine helps to set a pace that makes the work manageable and sustainable over time.

"To keep on going, you have to keep up the rhythm. This is the important thing for long term projects. Once you set the pace, the rest will follow. The problem is getting the flywheel to spin at a set speed and to get to that point takes as much concentration and effort as you can manage."

• Murakami emphasizes the importance of choosing a career and activities that suit one's true self.
• Authenticity is crucial for sustained effort and long-term success.

"I am not much for team sports. That's just the way I am."

• Knowing oneself and choosing paths that align with one's nature is essential for long-term dedication and success.

"You must find a business that's authentic to you. You cannot if you're going to do the business over long term. You cannot fake who you are over the long term."

• Success in writing and running is measured by personal standards rather than external validation.
• Internal motivation and personal satisfaction are key drivers for Murakami.

"What's crucial is whether your writing attains the standards you've set for yourself. Failure to reach that bar is not something that you can easily explain away."

• Running provides Murakami with a mental void, allowing his mind to rest and reset.
• This mental void is crucial for creativity and problem-solving.

"I run in order to acquire a void."

• The concept of acquiring a void through running or similar activities helps in receiving valuable insights from the unconscious mind.

"Big ideas come from the unconscious."

• Murakami's life and work are deeply influenced by his obsessions with writing and running.
• His disciplined routine, focus on authenticity, and internal motivation are key to his long-term success.
• The psychological benefits of running and maintaining a mental void play a significant role in his creative process.

• Unconscious Creativity: The unconscious mind needs to be well-informed for creativity to be relevant.
• Inspiration Techniques: Techniques like long walks, running, hot baths, or drinking can help unhook the rational thought process, allowing ideas to well up from the unconscious.

"Stuff your conscious mind with information like books and podcasts and conversations. Right? Then unhook your rational thought process."

• Emotional Challenges: Being misunderstood and criticized is painful but necessary for growth and independence.
• Physical Exercise for Emotional Relief: Physical exercise, like running, helps to process emotional stress and turn negative experiences into positive results.

"Emotional hurt is the price a person has to pay in order to be independent."

"If you absolutely cannot tolerate critics, then don't do anything new or interesting."

• Self-Improvement through Adversity: Using frustration and anger to improve oneself.

"If I'm angry, I direct that anger towards myself. If I have a frustrating experience, I use that to improve myself."

• Initial Business Ventures: Murakami's first business, a jazz club, required immense hard work and resilience.
• Work Ethic: Consistency and routine were key to managing his business and later his writing career.

"My only strength has always been the fact that I work hard and can take a lot. Physically, I'm more of a workhorse than a racehorse."

• Transition to Writing: Despite doubts, Murakami transitioned from running a jazz club to becoming a novelist.
• Routine and Discipline: Establishing a strict daily routine was crucial for his writing success.

"I'm going to wake up at 04:00 a.m. I'm going to write for five to six hours every day. I'm going to run a ten k, I'm going to swim, I'm going to nap. I'm going to run errands."

• Moment of Realization: Murakami pinpointed the exact moment he decided to write a novel.
• Autotelic Activity: Writing his first novel was an autotelic activity, done for the sake of itself.

"Something flew down from the sky at that instant, and whatever it was, I accepted it. I had never had any ambitions to be a novelist. I just had this strong desire to write a novel."

• First Novel: Finished a 200-page novel by hand and submitted it without making a copy.
• Unexpected Success: His first novel won a literary prize and was published, marking the start of his writing career.

"My novel won the prize and was published that summer. The book was fairly well received. I was 30, and without really knowing what was going on, I suddenly found myself labeled a new up and coming writer."

• Decision to Go All-In: Murakami decided to close his jazz club and focus entirely on writing, despite financial risks.
• Support System: His wife supported his decision, allowing him to pursue his passion fully.

"I'm the kind of person who has to totally commit to whatever I do. I had to give it everything I had. If I failed, I could accept that. But I knew that if I did things half-heartedly and they didn't work out, I'd always have regrets."

• Sense of Relief: Finding his path as a novelist brought immense relief and satisfaction.

"When I finished the novel, I had a good feeling that it created my own writing style. My whole body thrilled at the thought of how wonderful and how difficult it is to be able to sit at my desk, not worrying about time, and concentrate on writing."

• Initial Rejection: His unorthodox novel faced rejection from editors.
• Reader Acceptance: Despite initial rejection, readers loved his unique style, validating his approach.

"It seems back then, my notion of the novel was pretty unorthodox. Readers, though, seem to love this new book, and that is what makes me happiest."

• Direct to Consumer: Emphasizes the importance of going directly to the end user for validation.

"The entrenched professional is always going to resist far longer than the private consumer."

• Physical Fitness: Transitioning to a professional writer raised concerns about maintaining physical fitness.
• Running as a Solution: Running became a new obsession that complemented his writing, helping him stay fit and manage stress.

"A problem arose with my decision to become a professional writer. The question was how to keep physically fit."

• The speaker transitioned from a physically demanding job to a sedentary one, leading to weight gain and decreased energy.
• Smoking was a significant issue, with the speaker smoking 60 cigarettes a day.
• Running was chosen as a primary exercise due to its simplicity and minimal equipment needs.

"I decided that if I wanted to have a long life as a novelist, I needed to find a way to keep fit and maintain a healthy weight."

• Realization that a healthier lifestyle was essential for longevity in his profession.

"Running has a lot of advantages. First of all, you don't need anybody else to do it, and no need for special equipment. You don't have to go to any special place to do it."

• Running was chosen for its convenience and minimal requirements, aligning with his independent nature.

"Giving up smoking was kind of a natural result of running every day. It wasn't easy to quit, but I couldn't very well keep on smoking and continue running."

• Running helped the speaker quit smoking, as the two habits were incompatible.

• The speaker is an introvert who values control over his environment and interactions.
• Running and writing are solitary activities that align with his personality.

"I could never stand being forced to do something I didn't want to do at a time I didn't want to do it."

• Emphasizes the importance of autonomy and authenticity in his activities.

"The happiest thing about becoming a writer was that I could go to bed early and get up early."

• A shift to a writing career allowed for a more suitable and fulfilling lifestyle.

• The speaker follows a strict daily routine, which includes early rising, writing, exercising, and relaxing.
• Routine is seen as crucial for maintaining productivity and mental focus.

"I keep to this routine every day, without variation. The repetition itself becomes the most important thing. It is a form of mesmerism."

• Routine is described as a form of self-mesmerism that aids in achieving a deeper state of mind.

"If you don't get that sort of system set by a certain age, you'll lack focus and your life will be out of balance."

• Stresses the necessity of establishing a routine to maintain balance and focus in life.

• Writing is seen as an act of service to readers, similar to how entrepreneurs serve customers.
• The speaker places the highest priority on activities that allow him to focus on writing.

"I place the highest priority on the sort of life that lets me focus on writing. Why? Because I felt that the indispensable relationship I should build in my life was not with a specific person, but with an unspecified number of readers."

• The relationship with readers is considered the most important, guiding his lifestyle choices.

"Actions express priority. How you spend your time is all that matters. It's not what we think. It's not what we believe. It only matters what we do."

• Emphasizes that actions, not thoughts or beliefs, reveal true priorities.

• The speaker focuses on serving a small, dedicated audience rather than trying to please everyone.
• This approach is compared to running a bar where only a fraction of customers need to be repeat patrons for the business to succeed.

"If one out of ten enjoyed the place and said he'd come again, that was enough. If one out of ten was a repeat customer, then the business would survive."

• Illustrates the principle that a small, loyal customer base is sufficient for success.

"There's no need to be literature's top runner."

• Suggests that success doesn't require being the best, but rather being consistent and authentic.

• The speaker values consistency in both running and writing, focusing on daily effort rather than sporadic intensity.
• This approach is seen as key to long-term success and skill development.

"The main thing was not the speed or the distance so much as running every day without taking a break."

• Highlights the importance of regular, consistent effort over time.

"People who do great things don't get a lot done every day. They get something done rather than nothing, and, of course, done over a long period of time."

• Consistency in daily efforts accumulates to significant achievements over time.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of choosing activities that genuinely suit one's interests and personality.
• Authenticity is crucial for long-term commitment and success.

"No matter how strong a will a person has, no matter how much he may hate to lose, if it's an activity he doesn't really care for, he won't keep it up for long."

• Reinforces that passion and genuine interest are essential for sustained effort and success.

"Nobody ever recommended or even desired that I'd be a novelist. In fact, some people tried to stop me. I had the idea to be one, and that is what I did."

• The decision to become a novelist was self-driven and aligned with his true interests, despite external discouragement.

• Entrepreneurship is driven by an inner desire and self-initiative.
• Historical examples like Mozart and Coco Chanel illustrate the intrinsic motivation to pursue one’s passion.
• Passion doesn't guarantee daily enthusiasm; commitment is crucial despite fluctuating motivation.

"I decided who I want to be, and that is who I am." - Coco Chanel

• Emphasizes the power of self-determination in shaping one's identity and career.

"No matter how much long-distance running might suit me, of course there are days when I feel kind of lethargic and I don't wanna run."

• Highlights the universal experience of losing motivation, even in activities one loves.

• Professional success often requires performing tasks regardless of one's mood.
• Historical and fictional examples underscore the importance of separating feelings from commitments.

"The difference is the people that reach the top of their profession, that reach Olympic levels in their profession, they do it regardless of how they feel."

• Demonstrates that top performers maintain their routines and commitments irrespective of their emotional state.

"What's mood got to do with it?"

• Reinforces the idea that mood should not dictate one’s actions, especially in professional commitments.

"I pity the poor fellow who's so soft and flabby that he must always have an atmosphere of good feeling around him before he can do his work."

• Critiques the dependency on positive feelings for productivity, advocating for mental and moral resilience.

• Consistent training and preparation are essential for success; overconfidence can lead to failure.
• Personal anecdotes illustrate the consequences of inadequate preparation and the importance of returning to basics.

"There's no shortcuts. And what happens is he goes through this emotionally devastating thing because he's like, oh, I've run marathons before. Oh, yeah. I haven't been really training that much, but, you know, like, I can just show up and it'll happen."

• Highlights the fallacy of relying on past achievements without continuous effort and preparation.

"Without knowing it, I had developed an arrogant attitude, convinced that just a fair to middling amount of training was enough for me to do a good job."

• Reflects on the thin line between confidence and arrogance, stressing the need for humility and continuous effort.

• Success in creative fields like writing requires focus and endurance, which can be developed through consistent practice.
• Daily routines and disciplined work habits are crucial for long-term achievement.

"If you concentrate on writing three or four hours a day and feel tired after a week of this, you're not going to be able to write a long work."

• Emphasizes the necessity of building stamina and focus through regular practice.

"This is the way Chandler gave himself the physical stamina a professional writer needs, quietly strengthening his willpower."

• Illustrates how daily discipline in writing strengthens both mental and physical endurance.

• Overcommitting to passions can lead to burnout; it’s important to maintain a sustainable pace.
• Personal stories of overexertion and recovery highlight the importance of balance and self-care.

"The most significant fallout from running the ultramarathon wasn't physical, but mental. What I ended up with was a sense of lethargy."

• Discusses the mental toll of overexertion and the resultant loss of enthusiasm.

"I no longer had the simple positive stance I used to have of wanting to run no matter what."

• Reflects on the long-term impact of burnout on one's passion and motivation.

• Introspection is crucial early in life for finding one’s passion but can be counterproductive once a clear path is found.
• Successful individuals often exhibit a relentless focus on their goals without constant self-questioning.

"Do you think Sam Walton woke up every morning is like, what should I do today? Should I continue to build this retail empire? Should I watch my cost? Should I keep visiting stores? No, he, there was no introspection. He was like a shark. He woke up and he just swam."

• Highlights the simplicity and effectiveness of unwavering commitment to one's goals.

• Recommitment after setbacks is essential for long-term success.
• Personal stories of renewed commitment illustrate the resilience needed to maintain passion and achieve goals.

"One day, out of the blue I wanted to write a novel and one day out of the blue I started to run simply because I wanted to."

• Emphasizes the spontaneous and self-driven nature of pursuing passions.

"Ill age one more year and probably finish another novel one by one. Ill face the tasks before me and ill complete them the best I can."

• Reflects a long-term view of commitment and continuous effort towards personal and professional goals.

• The transcript emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation, commitment, and consistent effort in achieving success.
• Balancing passion with sustainable practices and avoiding burnout are crucial for long-term fulfillment.
• The role of introspection changes over time, becoming less critical once a clear path is found.