“本当の報酬 (True reward)” by 為末大 (Dai Tamesue)
The world of experts are highly competitive. They cannot survive only by talent. Strict self regulation or unthinkable continuous effort is highly required. Their physical and mental effort result in very sophisticated philosophy. Today, I would like to introduce the essay of a Japanese top runner.
His name is Dai Tamesue. He mainly takes part in 400 m hurdles but also 400 m and 100m. He won a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. Since then, he had been regarded as a top class Japanese athlete. Unfortunately, when he competed at 2007 World Championships in Athletics, which was held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, he was eliminated in the qualifying round.
He, however, addresses that the experience was the greatest opportunity for his mental growth. The society of athletes are very competitive. Most of the people cannot make record as they want. Tamesue knows the reality while he noticed, as he wrote, that the true reward is not just in honor.
He often held promotion of athletics and has chances to see a lot of children and their parents. The parents who meet him often ask whether their child have some talent of athletics or not. Recently, he answers that making their independent effort with their beliefs is the most important things for their life rather than achievements themselves.
Tamesue's endeavor when he was early 20's was for making record and obtain medals in world competition. However, he notices that the true reward of his efforts are not in honor but in his daily growth which comes from his hard training.
These days, he is training two times a week. After he finish his training, he sometimes want to say thank you though he does not know why and to whom. He know the reality of competition of athletes. He also know the more important things to be an athletes.
Unfortunately, my effort of last year are not adequate for submission of abstract for conference though all other students go to the conference. I am completely stressed out about it and am devastated. On the other hand, I feel that the fail and delay of research is what I should overcome by continuous effort and advancement of research skill. It is easy to complain about people around me on this issue, but it end up nothing. Scientists can substitute anything for their publications. No doubt I should do as much as possible for improvement of my research.
