Uchikura & Co., LLC

“Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way” – A Lesson from Japan

 

One of the famous sayings in Japan is:

 

> *Naseba naru, nasaneba naranu nanigotomo.*
> *Naran wa hito no nasanu narikeri.*

 

In simple English, it means: “If you try, it can be done. If it cannot be done, it is because you did not try.”

 

This phrase is widely attributed to Uesugi Yōzan, a feudal lord of the Yonezawa domain in the late 18th century. When he became the ruler, his domain was nearly bankrupt. Instead of accepting decline, he implemented reforms, encouraged agriculture and industry, reduced waste, and demanded discipline from both the government and the people. Through persistence and hard work, he managed to revive the domain.

 

The quote reflects a mindset that is still admired in Japan today: results start with action. Failure is not always the result of impossibility; more often, it is the result of not taking action at all.

 

Of course, reality is more complicated. Not everything succeeds simply because we try. But the deeper meaning of this phrase is about responsibility. Before concluding that something cannot be done, we should first ask ourselves a harder question: Did we truly try?

 

In business and in life, many opportunities disappear not because they were impossible, but because no one took the first step.

 

That is why this old Japanese saying still resonates today. The difference between success and failure often begins with a simple decision: to act or not to act.

 

https://en.bloguru.com/ken/552835/where-there-is-a-will-there-is-a-way-a