Baseball is a sport where failure rates exceed success rates. A batter with a batting average of .300 is considered an elite player, which means they fail 70 percent of the time. Ichiro Suzuki stands out among the few who have achieved a batting average of .400 in professional baseball. Despite his success, he still faces a 60 percent failure rate. Yet he views failure with a unique perspective: “Batting assumes failure, so you must never lose your ambition.” This statement offers insight into his mastery of “the art of failure” in this “cruel” sport.
Simply put, Suzuki advises against seeing failure as a source of frustration and demoralization. Instead, use it to grow and move forward positively. The Japanese term for “failure” is often translated as “mistake” in English, but Suzuki believes this is a “spiritual mistranslation.” He argues that the correct translation should be “challenge.” By viewing failure as a prerequisite for the next stage, like Suzuki, one should not be discouraged but continually take on new challenges.
The relationship between success and failure
Suzuki also points out that you cannot achieve positive results without accumulating failures. Even with a .400 batting average, there is still a 60 percent failure rate. This painful experience has taught him that accumulating failures has a more significant impact than accumulating successes. The key to failure is not the failure itself, but the knowledge gained.
In business, it is also impossible to complete a significant project without experiencing any failures. The rate of success is proportional to the number of failures. Therefore, if you haven’t succeeded yet, it is not due to a lack of ability or effort, but rather a lack of accumulated failures. From this perspective, those who are content with their number of successes are only halfway there, while those who can boast of their failures are truly independent. When you fail, consider it as an opportunity to grow further.
Embracing high-quality failures
Ichiro Suzuki embodies the attitude of “forgetting success and reflecting on failure.” After hitting a successful shot, he only revels in the satisfaction during his sprint to first base; then, he immediately puts the success behind him. He believes there is little to learn from success compared to what can be gained from failure. When he fails, he starts reflecting on why he didn’t hit well and continues this reflection until the next time he is up to bat.
Suzuki never wallows in failure. Instead, he focuses on finding the potential for success within the failure and works hard to uncover it. He continuously seeks opportunities hidden in his 60 percent failure rate; otherwise, the value of his accumulated failure experiences would be lost. From this perspective, it becomes clear that Suzuki’s ultimate goal is not success but better failure.
Suzuki’s continuous pursuit of ‘better failure’
Suzuki always aims for “better failure,” constantly striving to learn more and enhance his potential. He remains detached from his successes, enjoying them only briefly. For Suzuki, focusing on what he can’t do brings more growth than celebrating what he has accomplished.
When Suzuki achieved a record 2,000 hits in Japan and the United States, he credited his numerous ineffective hits for this milestone. He stated: “I have tasted regret more times than I have succeeded. This part holds more significance for me.” Suzuki’s habit of always focusing on what he can’t do reflects his character. He understands that there is more room for improvement in what he hasn’t achieved than in what he has accomplished.
Suzuki’s philosophy of aiming for what he cannot do demonstrates an endless desire for growth and a disciplined attitude. This mindset and action principle are worth learning from. By turning his focus away from successful outcomes and instead investing his energy in understanding and overcoming failures, Suzuki exemplifies a growth mindset that can be applied beyond the baseball field.
Translated by Audrey Wang
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