Planned Happenstance

Have you ever struggled for career choices? In general, the career center in Japan often tells us importance of setting a career goal. This means if we set our short term goal and long term goal, we can reach our destination easily.

Unfortunately, I have a negative image about setting a goal because of uncertainty in these days. This means our career plans are destroyed by unplanned events easily.

To be honest, I grew up surrounded by unpredictable world. When I was in Junior high school, I was really shocked by 9.11. Furthermore, one of the leading companies in the United States, Lehman Brothers went into bankruptcy due to the financial crisis when I entered University. As one misfortune followed another, massive Haiti and Chilean earthquake took place in 2010. This means not only us but also economists cannot predict our future because we are in a unpredictable world.

If we set a goal, it is hard for us to reach it because logical approach can be used only in logical world. Furthermore, it really difficult for us to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity flexibly if we have a clear career plan.

Are there any alternative career approaches?

In the last workshop I attended, I can learn the unique theory: Planned Happenstance. This is based on the chaos theory and it means to transform unplanned events into opportunities for learning.

Under the Planned Happenstance Theory, we do not have to have perfect career plan; however, this is definitely not about sitting in your bedroom and waiting for the right thing ti show up. The point is expecting the unexpected events and prepared for chance opportunities, such as unexpected phone calls, chance encounters, impromptu conversations and new experience.

Extroverted and Introverted

Have you ever thought about the relationship between personality and the way one learns a second language?

Based on my experiences, I strongly believe that our personalities have a strong influence on our learning styles. Basically, the best way to enhance our language abilities is to make friends who are native speakers. That is why most language learners study abroad. However, sometimes it is not easy for us in terms of our personalities.

I will assume that there are two types of personalities: extroverted and introverted. The former is more sociable, talkative and outgoing. Basically they tend to go to parties and hang out with friends actively .That is why it is easy for them to improve their language skills faster.

On the other hand, people who have introverted personalities like thinking and reading. Actually, I am typical introvert and when I meet people for the first time, I am always nervous about how to communicate with them. Furthermore, I like reading books rather than going to parties. That is why, compared to an extrovert, it is hard for me to make native-speaking friends.

According to Dr. Tim Rath, the famous writer of “Strengths Finder”, our personalities were created by environmental factors when we were teens. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for us to change them. The point is how we learn the second language in spite of an introverted personalities.

Although introverts have difficulties communicating with native people compared to extroverts, they also have advantages in enhancing their language skills effectively. Basically, they are good at reading and thinking. In my case, I make an effort to reading English books and write journals in English. This means it is easy for introverts to enhance his or her reading and writing skills.

How do you study your second language? Do you think your learning style is related to your personality?

Enter the Narrow Gate

The Japanese view on religion is a little bit different from the American point of view. Basically, the main Japanese religions are Shinto or Buddhism; however, most young people do not have any religion. Surprisingly we celebrate New Year, go to shrines and have a marriage ceremony at church. I assume that Japanese needed to absorb variety of cultures like a sponge because of geographical issues. It means Japan is an island country and we need to keep up with western countries.

To be honest, I have been attending the Bible discussion class since my friends gave me the Bible three month ago. Indeed I have no religion but learning the Bible is very informative and variable for me to understand the Western way of thinking. In addition, my father told me that if you go to Western countries, you had better read Shakespears and the Bible to learn cultural differences.

My favorite phrase is from Matthew 7:13" Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few find it."

Actually I could not figure out what the "narrow gate" was exactly at first. When I ask my friends, the answers are totally different. Someone said the narrow gate is "honesty" because to be honest all day long is really difficult for us. Another friends in my business class stated that "narrow gate" means niche　market and wide one is a mature market from economic point of view. That is why you have to choose narrow gate if you want to survive. Another opinion is that " narrow gate" means god. To do the right thing is always difficult for us. Learning the Bible is difficult but interesting.