The result or the process? I think it's all about the results after all. The reason you don't get results is because the process is bad. The results were achieved because the process was good. I don't think there's any other option. Results are everything, but I'm neither satisfied nor disappointed with the results. Just reflect and improve. Then, connect it to the next one. No matter how well you do, you'll never get 100 points. Luck and timing. All of these things together make up a single process. There are always things to reflect on in the process. In that sense, the process is important. When you are satisfied, you stop looking for areas for improvement. It means that they don't want to grow any more than that. That's why, no matter how much praise I receive, I'm never satisfied. Less than 1%. If you want growth The higher the goal, the better. Naturally, this will result in a lower self-assessment. I can't be satisfied. Right now I'm about 15 points behind my goal. So I have no choice but to do it. I believe the biggest enemy of growth is complacency. Even when making furniture, I always look for it. It's about how detailed you can get. That one plane cut. The order of processing. The time it took. Recall and reflect on everything. I swear I'll never repeat it next time. Still, every time I find something new to reflect on. So, little by little, we will make progress. It's neither painful nor enjoyable. I only feel a little bit happy every now and then. However, this "happiness" is special. It's addictive. Just a little bit makes me want to taste it again. I become a junkie. I want it no matter how much time it takes. I feel like I'd be willing to exchange it for my life. My favorite recent product is the sim chair pictured above. It is simple with no unnecessary parts or processing. This means that mass production is possible and the price is also reasonable. However, the parts that come into direct contact with the body, such as the backrest and seat, The complex three-dimensional curved surfaces are created by the hands of artisans. I think they have successfully combined skilled techniques with productivity. I think this is a chair that could only be designed by someone who can actually use their hands to create things. But it's not perfect. Look there. We want to make continuous improvements and create an even better chair. If we can create it, people will be happy. And because I'm happy too. But it will take at least a year. Maybe it will take ten years. That's what I think. If we can solve these problems tomorrow and create a product that surpasses the [sim chair], I'd be happy to exchange it for the time of my life that would normally be spent on it. Because I live to make awesome furniture. I'm 38 years old. I think it takes 38 years to create one piece of furniture. I believe this is the result of 15 years of experience as a craftsman, working 10 times harder than an average craftsman. Out of many bad works comes one masterpiece. That's why you get the feeling of "happiness." But just for a moment. "Cheers! You did it!" That's fine as long as it ends there. There's no point in being overjoyed. I want the next happy thing. I think that kind of "happiness" is a feeling that only a professional can have. It's a feeling you get from risking your life. Work is not a means to an end. It's not about getting money. It's not for raising children. It's not to support a family. It's only natural to do that. I think work is a stage where you can set your soul on fire. Skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, motorcycling, etc. I have many hobbies, but none of them give me the true joy that only professionals can have. Hobbies don't come with pressure or responsibility. They don't know the hardships of pursuing something to the fullest. And as a result, there is no technology that can be obtained. So it doesn't bring true joy. When I stand on top of a powder snow that no one else is skiing on, I get so excited that I scream, but when I'm making furniture, I feel even more excited. And there is happiness. That's because I'm a professional furniture maker. I wish I could share that feeling with my young people. This is what I've been thinking lately. Results or Processes? Indeed, result would be everything. Failure to achieve results would be attributed to poor processes. Achieving results would be attributed to good processes. Nothing else. Although results would be everything, I would be neither satisfied nor disappointed. I just reflect and improve. Then, I would connect them to next. Whatever things go well, I never grade them 100 percent perfect. Luck and timing. These are one of the processes. There always exists something to be reflected. That is why the process is important. When satisfied, one would not seek something to be reflected. In other words, one would not like to grow further. So, I would never ever be satisfied with any sort of compliments. Even 1%. If one seeks to grow, the higher the goal, the better. Then, self-assessment cannot result in higher score. One cannot be satisfied. At this moment, my self-assessment compared to my goal would be about 15%. So, there is nothing but to do it. The enemy of growth would be satisfactions. I am always seeking something to be improved whenever I make furniture. How much details I would be able to pursue. One surface plaining at that time. Order of the process. Duration required for the process. I reflect remembering all of them. I promise myself I will never repeat the same incompleteness again. Still, I always find something new to be reflected. Then, I would be able to improve myself slowly but steadily. It is neither painful nor fun. Sometimes I just feel a moment of "delighted". Well, this "delighted" is special. It would be addictive. I would like to feel it again. I would become junkie of it. I would like to spend whatever the time to acquire it. I would be happy to exchange my life with it. One of the most favorite recent products of KOMA is "Sim Chair" whose pictures are located above. It is simple with neither unnecessary parts nor unnecessary processes. So, it would be suitable for mass-production resulting in reasonable prices. Even so, craftsman create by hand its complex 3-dimensional curves in backrest and seat surface. Good hybrid of hand made by well trained craftsman and productivity. There would be chair whose designers would be limited to those who are able to make those chairs themselves. However, it would not be perfect. I would like to pursue what are not perfect. Through piles of improvements, I would like to make much better chairs. Those chairs would make people happy. Which makes me happy as well. Unfortunately, it would take one year at least. It may take 10 years. Then, I would think. If all issues are completely resolved tomorrow and products better than "sim chair" are able to be made tomorrow, I would like to exchange my life time which would be consumed to achieve those products. Because I devote my life to make the best furniture. I am 38 years old. It takes 38 years to make one furniture, I would think. It is the products of my 15 years career as a craftsman which is 10 times condensed compared to ordinarily craftsman. Excellent works would be product of many many poor works. Then, I would be able to feel "delighted". However, it would be enough to last a moment. "Cheers! Great job!" would be good enough. It does not make sense to bask in the afterglow of the delight. I eager to feel next "delighted". The feeling the "delighted" would be attributed to professional. It can be felt only from something we devote our life. Job is not procedure. It is not done for money. It is not done to grow children. It is not done to provide for families. They are too obvious obligations. I recognize my job as stage on which I would burn my passion. I have many hobbies including skate board, snow board, surfing, motorcycle, etc., however, on none of which I would be able to feel "delighted". Hobbies do not contain aspects of pressures or obligations. We never know pains to seek the best. There would not exist any techniques acquired in the process. So, no one can feel true "delighted". When I stand on the summit of powder snow on which no one has set foot, I would be extremely exited screaming in delight. I cannot compare the degree of delight with one I feel in making furniture. And there is delight. Because I am a professional craftsman of furniture. Recently, I would like to share this kind of feeling with junior members in my company.
