The Japanese concept of kokorozashi is more important than logic for developing and leading a successful business, according to Toru Takahasi, CEO of GLOBIS Europe, hub of Graduate School of Management, GLOBIS University. The international business school has been developing the next generation of leaders for over 30 years, supporting learners to find their own kokorozashi.

But what is kokorozashi exactly? Why is it so important to successful leadership? And how can you find your own kokorozashi to propel your life and business forwards?

What is kokorozashi?

Kokorozashi is a Japanese concept that means ‘will’ or ‘ambition’ – it’s the driving force behind everything you do and fuels your life and career.

The Japanese character for kokorozashi is a combination of the radical for ‘scholar’ or ‘person with aspirations’ (士) and the radical for ‘heart and mind’(心). When these combine, you get kokorozashi (志), representing that aspirations are driven by both head and heart.

You might have heard of ikigai, another Japanese expression that’s defined as ‘your reason to get up in the morning’. Kokorozashi is a little bit different, as it’s the force that pushes you to be your best self and realise your true purpose. It’s a long-term vision that’s underpinned by a desire to make a positive impact on society, making it a key factor in successful leadership. Finding your kokorozashi is about finding your true potential.

The importance of kokorozashi in business

GLOBIS founder Yoshito Hori believed in pursuing his kokorozashi to drive the leading business school forward, and the results of this are evident in GLOBIS’s success today.

“Kokorozashi is the literal DNA of our organisation,” explains Takahashi.

“Without our founder Yoshito Hori’s visionary drive, GLOBIS would never have come into existence. At the time of its inception, his acquaintances doubted the venture, telling him that no one in Japan would attend GLOBIS. If he had relied solely on logic, starting GLOBIS wouldn’t have seemed feasible – there was no apparent market, fierce global competition, and he lacked resources. However, he pursued his kokorozashi, and 30 years later, proved all his doubters wrong.”

The impact of GLOBIS’ commitment to kokorozashi is evident in its success over the last three decades. The school has trained more than 2.3 million professionals and provided corporate training to over 6,700 clients, supporting every learner to unlock their own kokorozashi.

GLOBIS has also supported over 940,000 e-learning clients, and invested more than $1.2 billion in startups – an example of the GLOBIS kokorozashi helping other business leaders to realise theirs.

“While I certainly recognise the importance of logic in business, it is for this reason that I deeply value kokorozashi in our approach to creating and sustaining businesses,” Toru Takahashi adds.

How to find your kokorozashi

1. Self-reflection

Self-reflection is key to finding your kokorozashi. GLOBIS’ leadership courses include the opportunity for self-reflection to help learners realise their purpose, but you can also meditate or journal to reflect on what it is that drives your goals.

Take the time to explore and interrogate your own life story to find your kokorozashi. The story of your life so far may not feel logical, but there’ll be a passion or force behind it, even if it’s not immediately clear.

2. Ask yourself personal questions

Understand what’s important to you by asking yourself some deep, personal questions. For example:

• Where are you from?
• What values were you raised with?
• What makes you feel happy? Sad? Frustrated?
• Where do you want to be in 5 years’ time?
• Where do you want to be 20 years from now?

Reflect on your answers and look for the themes that keep coming up, as these will hold the key to your kokorozashi and influence your leadership style.

3. Know your priorities

Think about your personal priorities, your professional priorities, and society’s priorities too. How do they all align? Is there a gap where they don’t? Focus on that imbalance, and consider what needs to be different in your life to close that gap. This is key to identifying your kokorozashi and realizing what you need to do to get where you want to be in your life and career.

4. Adopt a long-term mindset

Realising your kokorozashi is a lifelong journey. It’s important to adopt a long-term mindset when committing to your purpose – something all successful leaders will be able to do. Set an initial goal, then visualise how it will get you to your next goal, and the next one after that. Once you understand your kokorozashi, keep it in mind at all times to keep driving you – and your business – forwards.

5. Commit to yourself

The pursuit of kokorozashi is a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development. You need to know your weaknesses as well as your strengths, and commit to continually developing them.

Commit to developing yourself always, even if you don’t necessarily know what those development opportunities will be until they arise. It could be the chance to study towards a new qualification, move to a new country, or pursue a new professional opportunity. Whatever choices you make, keep your kokorozashi in mind at all times, and don’t be afraid to let it fuel your decisions even if the logic points in another direction.