In the business world, a “Western” way of thinking is generally the default.
In other words, a mindset of “analyze the causes, clarify the issues, and keep improving.”
For example, in marketing we often:
“Why isn’t revenue growing?” “Where is the bottleneck?”
We analyze these questions using numbers, build countermeasures, and create action plans.
This flow of “cause and effect,” “goal and achievement” is deeply rooted in Western philosophy.
Of course, this approach is extremely important.
After many years in marketing, I have seen countless situations where this Western style leads to clear results.
And yet, somewhere along the way, it becomes suffocating.
No matter how much you chase the numbers, your heart doesn’t feel full.
You find yourself constantly anxious, always in a hurry, running as if something is chasing you…
Maybe you have experienced something similar.
In those moments, an Eastern philosophical perspective can help a lot.
Below, I’ll use a real issue I once faced—“I’m bad at sales”—to illustrate the difference between Western and Eastern approaches.
Example: How Do We Solve “I’m Bad at Sales”?
The Limits of the Western Approach – When “Just Try Harder” Becomes Painful
I am very bad at sales.
(Even now, I’m not good at it.)
But I used to believe, “If I can’t sell, revenue will never grow.”
So I bought many books on sales talk, spent hundreds of thousands of yen on trainings, and practiced again and again.
No matter how hard I tried, I saw almost no results.
In fact, I only became more exhausted.
Looking back, it’s obvious why—sales was never something I enjoyed in the first place.
From a Western perspective, the thinking goes:
“If it doesn’t work, you just need to try harder.”
“There must be another technique—keep moving forward.”
The Eastern perspective is a little different.
Instead of pushing harder, it first pauses and asks, “Is this problem really a problem?”
The Eastern Approach – Questioning and Letting Go of the “Problem” Itself
In my case, I started to question the premise of “I’m bad at sales.”
“Do I actually need to do sales at all?”
When I looked closely, I realized I didn’t like pushing people to buy.
But I did enjoy sharing information that could genuinely help someone.
If that’s true, I thought, why force myself to get better at sales?
Why not instead build a system where “clients come even if I don’t sell”?
So I decided to let go of sales, and focus on what I’m good at—attracting clients and sharing knowledge.
I began to share my experiences and know-how through YouTube, blogs, and podcasts.
People who resonated with that content started reaching out, saying, “I’d like to consult with you.”
Before long, work was coming in naturally, without me “doing sales” at all.
In other words, instead of trying to solve the problem of “I’m bad at sales,”
I let go of the problem itself—and that’s what opened up a new path.
Western and Eastern Wisdom: Both Are Important, but So Is the Ability to Pause
In marketing and management, I feel that we need both
“Western analytical thinking” and “Eastern accepting awareness.”
Western thinking gives us the force to move forward.
Eastern thinking gives us the ability to pause, realign, and return to ourselves.
Not one or the other, but both—
By balancing these two, we can pursue results while also protecting our inner peace.
What This Site Aims to Share
On “How a CEO Works – With a Touch of Zen,”
I explore the balance point between Western knowledge and Eastern wisdom.
Working hard is valuable.
Stopping to reflect is also valuable.
But when work starts to feel painful, what we may need is less “analysis” and more “awareness.”
Through this site, I’d like to share small shifts in perspective—
ideas to help you gently realign the way you think—based on my own experiences.
