I recently had the opportunity to participate in a nine day intensive, small group training with Janet Bray Attwood, the founder of The Passion Test. From our group, more than half of the participants were from Japan as The Passion Test has been experiencing fast growth in Japan.
During our course I was introduced to a new movement in Japan called “Maro Up” and I learned a few Japanese words - the most important one “Arigato,” which means Thank You.
Today, I wanted to share more about “Maro Up” with you and how it can change your view on life, your level of happiness, and your results.
Wahei Takeda, often called “the Warren Buffet of Japan,” is the most successful investor in Japan, and it is said that he’s the happiest one, too! Many people follow him and attribute their success as a direct result of listening and applying Wahei’s philosophy of “Maro Up!” to life and business. The recently published ebook, Maro Up: The Secret to Success Begins with Arigato: Wisdom from the "Warren Buffet of Japan” by Janet Bray Attwood and Ken Honda, introduces us to the wisdom behind “Maro Up.”
What is "Maro Up"?
As explained in the ebook, “the word maro is short for magokoro, which means “true heart” or “sincere heart” in Japanese. You could say maro is strong in those who have a pure heart and lead an upright life. Even in Japanese, it’s hard to define maro because it’s a spiritual state, but it could be called a state of selflessness; the opposite of ego. It can be thought of as the deeper end of one’s consciousness, closer to the collective consciousness, the level at which all of humanity and the universe are one. As such, maro is the wellspring of our unconditional love for others, and also for ourselves.
Maro is the key to success. According to Wahei, there are two kind of minds in us. One is our Ego and the other is Magokoro - our sincerity or true heart.
Wahei advises business people and investors, “You will succeed most when your Ego is 30% and your Magokoro is 70%. Then you will create good will along with money, and the result will be true riches.”
When we are in touch with our maro, we will create a win-win situation for ourselves and the people around us. It follows that if you have a pure heart and true sincerity, not only will people treat you better, but you’ll begin to feel the whole universe support you as well.
According to Wahei, when your maro increases, you “Maro Up” and invite many miracles in your life. When you Maro Up, you focus on positive and beautiful things and choose positive words. This attracts all the good and beauty to you.
"Gratitude moves people." ~ Wahei Takeda
Wahei believes that you have to be aware of all the words you use because words have the power to attract things, whether positive or negative. For example, if you tend to have negative thoughts, you will attract misfortune, and if you often utter fear-related words, fear will grow from these words.
How powerful our thoughts and spoken words are is not necessarily a new concept but an important reminder. When you pay attention to your words, you will notice, not only negative words, but that you often say words with “heavy” energy: “I should, need, must, have to” ….”It’s hard, I work hard…” Remember, thoughts become things and our spoken word effect our wellbeing and success. Various experiments have demonstrated the power of negative thoughts, words, music, and more (see Dr. Emoto newsletter - http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=cfae700d86cfdd3e9bef82aba&id=92c2261f45).
Gratefulness, Thank You and Appreciation
The fastest and easiest way to be in touch with your maro is to be grateful and say “Thank you” to everything you encounter. Giving thanks and appreciation allows you to see the miracles around you and attract more of them.
An interesting concept is shared with us in the ebook: “Wahei has a set of methods to deal with the negativity of fear and anxiety. He approaches these emotions by proposing an appreciation of ‘negative situations’ in your life: this means turning them around so that you can see them from a new perspective and turn the bad into good.”
Here are Ten Ways to Maro Up, according to Wahei:
1. Walk in nature
2. Acquaint yourself with art
3. Allow yourself to be moved
4. Visit places of worship
5. Keep giving thanks
6. Do what excites you
7. Follow your intuition
8. Give to others
9. Wishing people happiness
10. Love and be loved
Practice these 10 techniques and see how “Maro Up” enhances your life, personally and professionally.
MOTIVATION MOMENT:
"Once affirming and smiling becomes a habit, the world around you miraculously transforms." ~ Wahei Takeda
Ulrike Berzau, Executive Coach & Consultant, works with individuals, teams and organization to achieve exceptional results in life and business. With extensive experience as healthcare executive, she is known for providing highly respected insights and creative solutions to secure continuous advancement and excellence. Ulrike has an unwavering passion for igniting the talent and brilliance in others and her international and multicultural experiences allow her to relate to a diverse audience. Her ambitious, yet well balanced, positive and inspiring mindset is the catalyst of her own success and assures the success of clients, staff and organizations.
Ulrike is the co-author of the International Best-Seller Imagine a Healthy You and an inspirational speaker. She is certified as Thinking into Results Consultant, Passion Test Facilitator, ASAP Engagement Consultant and Achieve Today Coach, and holds a Master’s Degree in Management, a Master’s Degree in Health Science, Physical Therapy, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.