Mental Strength Based on Vision and Passion

Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishipartners, giving birth to "Kaien-tai", the first
Corporation, Japan, tells us the importance ofmodern trading company in Japan. "Kaien-tai" later
vision and passion. It is not just a slogan. It is notbecame "Mitsubishi Corporation". His humbleness
just beautiful and fancy words. His personalmade him say that he was just fortunate. He
history gives us clearly about bitter actualitywould not be able to keep going without passion
walking the course to be successful.and vision.
Yataro Iwasaki was born in Lower Class SamuraiIt may not be just Mr. Yataro Iwasaki who talks
family, who normally could not get educationabout "Vision and Passion". Successful leaders
provided by local government that time in Japan.emphasize the importance of emotional strength,
That did not discourage him at all when he wasputting aside smartness. Iwasaki was later calling
young. He educated himself while he was sellinghimself a stubborn, inflexible, bungler. He lost his
birdcages to support his family in his teens.positions given from his master several times.
Later, he nominated himself to study in EdoThat made him an independent entrepreneur.
(Tokyo) and could learn there. His academicOnce he believed in himself, he did not change, no
achievement drew higher-class management, andmatter who tried to persuaded him. One example
he was selected to be an Edo business staff ofis that a son of Samurai family became a
the local government. His father was arrestedmerchant. His family and friends stopped him
when he was in Edo for street fight withbecause it is downgrading himself. He believed that
higher-class Samurai. He came home to save hisSamurai would one day give ways to merchants.
father and appealed his father's innocence to hisSociety changed as he predicted.
government. He was fired. He was fired severalIn the era of rapid change such as Meiji
times in his life. This was his first time.restoration, modernization of Japan from Samurai,
He and his father were put in a jail for a while,Shogunate days, there appear miraculously
after he was released, he reclaimed his innocenceprominent people like Mr. Iwasaki. He might call
and expertise and hired back. Higher-class Samuraihimself stubborn, inflexible bungler. People today
colleagues did not like Iwasaki sat in a highercalls him venture business entrepreneur in Meiji
position than them. Iwasaki was again accused ofEra. He tried everything he saw the future. He
no reason and fired again.failed some, but he was successful in changing the
Ryoma Sakamoto, who later became the centralsociety. Being called a person with "Iron Mental
figure in Meiji restoration, picked up Iwasaki andStrength", the foundation supported his mental
Sakamoto and Iwasaki became independentstrength was Vision and Passion.