Canon's Diary

April has arrived, but the weather in Osaka continues to be chilly. Due to the influence of the Osaka Expo, accommodation prices have soared, and I have had difficulty finding a place to stay, moving from hotel to hotel. Last night, I stayed at a capsule hotel.

Actually, I have been assigned to work at the company’s headquarters starting in April, so staying in a hotel is an unusual situation. However, the general affairs department took my situation into account, as I couldn’t find a new residence by the end of March, and they allowed me to reimburse my accommodation and transportation costs.

I heard that my reassignment caused quite a debate among the senior management last term. Now that the new organizational structure has been revealed, and comparing it with the explanations given to me by my department head and the division director, I can see that the chance of me becoming a manager was not completely zero. This realization is somewhat frustrating, but for now, all I can do is focus on steadily building up what I am capable of.

To understand these feelings, I reflected on them in light of Adlerian psychology, as explained in The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga.

Aristotle’s philosophy introduces two ways of living: Kinesis-based living and Energeia-based living. Kinesis (κίνησις) is a Greek term meaning “movement” or “change,” referring to a process where something changes in pursuit of a goal and is completed once the goal is achieved. For example, studying to become a lawyer or practicing to win a tennis tournament. From a Kinesis-based perspective, effort is only rewarded once the goal is reached, and the challenge ends when the goal is attained. If the goal is not achieved, only the fact of “failure” remains.

On the other hand, Energeia (ἐνέργεια) refers to “actual activity” or “intrinsic realization,” where the activity itself is the goal, and it does not end just because the goal is achieved. For example, in the act of playing music, the goal is the performance itself, and the activity doesn’t end when the performance concludes. For the musician, the joy is found in the act of performing itself.

So, which is the better way of living? I believe that many people in modern society tend to have a Kinesis-oriented perspective. The idea of working to earn money or achieving results to get promoted is a common way of thinking. In this mindset, unless a “result” is obtained, the process is merely a struggle. In such a case, it’s difficult to find happiness in everyday life.

The Energeia-based mindset, on the other hand, has a different perspective. It’s a way of life where the activity itself—whether it’s in art, philosophy, or love—becomes the purpose. Rather than seeing life as a straight path to a goal, it encourages finding meaning in each activity, seeing life as a series of connected moments.

However, ultimately, I think it’s more about finding a balance between both perspectives. In areas like work and study, where achieving goals is important, the process can often feel tough. But many people find joy in activities like music, love, or sports, using them to balance the difficulty of their work by finding joy in the activity itself. Tennis, for example, is a sport that can incorporate both perspectives. The goal is to win matches, but along the way, you can feel joy in improving your technique, like hitting a new shot or increasing your serve speed. Even if you don’t win the match, achieving each step along the way can bring satisfaction.

In work or study, which tends to focus on Kinesis-like thinking, I think it would be possible to introduce Energeia-based elements, making the process itself more joyful. This is explained in The Courage to Be Disliked as: “Life is lived like dancing in the moment, a continuous series of fleeting moments. And one day, when you look around, you may realize, ‘How far I’ve come.’”

Of course, this depends on individual circumstances and perspectives. Whether or not you’re in a job you desire or whether you find joy in the act of studying depends on one’s personality and preferences. However, I’ve always thought that, for the majority of life, especially the “work” portion, it’s important to place yourself in situations where you can engage with an Energeia-based mindset as much as possible. I’ve been steadily working towards that goal.

My first week in Osaka at the beginning of the fiscal year is almost over. Tomorrow, I will return to Tokyo and resume packing for my move over the weekend. Today, my direct supervisor told me that working in both Tokyo and Osaka could be possible, depending on the situation, and that they didn’t mind if I did so. This brought me a sense of relief, as I would be able to keep an eye on my father, who is receiving medical care in Tokyo, as well as my mother who is caring for him, and my wife, who lives with my parents and works at the same time.