Joy to the Fishes in the Deep Blue Sea....

This week, I was introduced to an 86 year old Japanese man who owns and runs a sushi restaurant in Tokyo and has been creating and serving sushi for over 75 years. His name is Jiro Ono and he clearly understands the Inner Constellation concept of North Star (one's top priority, or motto for life). After being kicked out of his home at the age of nine, he learned very quickly how to swim versus sink. Young Jiro began a quest to make his one desire--making sushi, a reality. Sushi was an exorbitant commodity but this didn't stop young Jiro. He admitted that most of his inspiration came in dreams where he would be preparing sushi but changing the traditional time-honored recipes. He would wake with all kinds of ideas pouring out of him. Serving up the fishes in the deep blue sea became his life and Jiro still follows his North Star, "improve always on your craft." Here were some of Jiro's most remarkable nuggets of North Star wisdom:

* One must discover his or her specific craft, and once it's known, cultivate the skills necessary to be the best possible. For instance, to be a chef one must develop taste, smell, cooking instinct and intuition. Some skills are innate and natural but most must be developed and honed. 

* Always doing what you're told doesn't mean you'll succeed in life.

* Don't worry about money, instead offer only the best possible ingredients (metaphorically speaking, always offer your best, don't let money motivate your decisions)

* Always look above and beyond yourself (said by Jiro's son, taught to him by his father)

Jiro trains his apprentices for ten years before they're promoted to the position of preparing and serving the sushi. He spoke often of becoming a shokunin, or master craftsman or artisan. Yet this Japanese word has a much deeper meaning, as explained by Tasio Odate:

"...not only having technical skills, but also an attitude and social consciousness....The shokunin has a social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people. The obligation is both spiritual and material...."

If you wish to experience a truly inspirational man, watch Jiro Ono's story, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."

"Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea, joy to you and me!"