The key to a happy life is not an abundance of wealth, and yet we often hear people say they want more money. But rarely does anyone say that they have too much or enough.
In my 30 years of research on happiness and money, one of the most remarkable people I have met was a Japanese man named Wahei Takeda, an entrepreneur and investor.
In 2016, before Takeda passed away at the age of 83, I had the honor of having him as a teacher for 15 years. A truly happy man, he taught me what it really means to live a meaningful and successful life.
Once my leader told me that “The money game has no end”, comparing it to baseball. Even if he’s winning in the bottom of the ninth, that doesn’t guarantee a win.
He explained that the money game is the same, even if you’re rich in your 20s or 40s, that doesn’t mean something terrible can’t happen and leave you destitute.
Warren Buffett of Japan
Often called the “Warren Buffet of Japan”, Takeda was one of Japan’s most successful and well-known investors.
In 2006, Takeda had top 10 holdings in more than 100 companies valued at 30 billion yen, making it the number one individual investor in Japan, The Usa Herald newspaper reported.
He also founded Takeda Confectionery, a company whose biggest seller was Tamago Boro, which sells bite-sized cookies shaped like little eggs.
Takeda believed that serenading refreshments by its workers with the expression “arigato” (meaning thank you), served as a reminder that it is the hard work of the staff and the continued loyalty of the customers that keep the company happy. running company. (The ongoing tradition also explains why Tamago Boro advertises its sweets as “sweets that have heard ‘thank you’ a million times.”)
Maro is the key to a happy and abundant life
All of this reflects Takeda’s philosophy of “maro,” which is short for magokoro in Japanese and means a sincere heart. You could say that your maro is strong if you have pure intentions and lead a righteous life.
Inner joy and gratitude are the essence of maro. And I know for a fact that my current success is a direct result of Takeda’s constant reminders to say “maro up” and say “arigato.”
He decided to spend more time fostering micro-business growth and became known as a “community philanthropist” after the success of the confectionery business.
He believed that kindness and generosity are the keys to happiness and prosperity and was inspired to cultivate these values and be open to the flow of money both in and out of their lives.
Achieve a state of maro
Those who are in contact with their maro create win-win situations for themselves and the people around them.
When your maro increases, according to Takeda, three things happen:
- You become more magnetic, emitting and attracting positive energy. This surrounds you with good people and things that really matter to you, which creates a cycle of happiness and abundance.
- You become more passionate and energized to accomplish things that are important to you. This makes you more intuitive and able to choose the best way to live your life. And because you’re doing what you love, you’re constantly opening doors to new and exciting opportunities.
- You express more gratitude for life and find yourself saying “thank you” more and more. Since gratitude is contagious, others begin to express gratitude and welcome more abundance into their lives as well.
In a money-obsessed society, the easiest way to reach a maro state is to express gratitude and give to others, instead of always wanting or asking for more.