The other day, in his New Year’s address to staff members, Yoshiro Mori, Chairman of the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, made the following comment.

Reception of International Audiences
It is impossible to decide at this point. We will have to make a difficult decision by March. I think we will have to make a difficult decision by March. I have no choice but to say that we will leave this one up to the heavens.

This section is not intended to address whether or not the Olympics should be held.
I would like to consider the mentality that leaders make the statement “leave it to the heavens” or “God willing”.

I once asked a Zen monk, “Why do Silicon Valley entrepreneurs love Zen (mindfulness)?” I asked.
He answered quite clearly, “Zen (Mahayana Buddhism) was suited for leadership because it was a method of thinking for oneself, whereas most religions are based on the principle of “other power” (God, Buddha, please help me).

Zen is a method suited to leaders in that it allows them to take in nature and focus the workings of their minds to come up with new ideas.
Leaders leave the decision to the heavens, which means, “I’m out of ideas!” It is the same as saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. All decisions must be made at the very last minute, using all five senses.

Let’s let people decide, not the heavens. They’re pretty different distances, make no mistake!

◆ Reference
It is also interesting to note that the “conditioning” of the sauna is similar to the “enlightenment” achieved in Zen.
Sauna Textbook from a Doctor: Why Do the Business Elite Take Saunas to Tone Up Their Brains and Bodies? Author: Hirotaka Kato
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B084MDFMBY/

◆ Reference
Naoyuki Honda, best-selling author of more than 3 million copies of his book “Sauna Techniques to Change Your Life: Why Leading Managers Go to Sauna? is also a must-read.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4046045124/

P.S. : The photo was taken earlier with Naoyuki Honda, serial entrepreneur Yuki Naruse, and singer Rei Yamada.