During the few weeks left before I start my graduate program, I revisited to hone in on the various tips and advice provided by the master sushi chef. With a drive to become one of the best in my field of work, I looked to see what lessons I could take from Jiro. Jiro Ono is an accomplished sushi chef in Japan and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a restaurant awarded the prestigious Michelin three-star title. He has proved himself to be a legendary figure in the culinary world. His restaurant is a closet-sized sushi bar in a subway and to have a seat inside requires booking a reservation months in advance. The documentary itself dives into the daily life of Jiro and his team and shows how he has become this unparalleled individual. Here are 8 lessons that stood out to me while learning about his road to mastery. “Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill.

That’s the secret of success…” – Jiro Sometimes it takes an extreme approach to accomplish equally extreme achievements. Jiro began as a sushi chef at a young age and continues to immerse himself in his work to this day. In an era where information is so accessible, we are distracted. Our minds become promiscuous with these interests. Find something that inspires you and act upon it. If you want to become the best at something, stay focused on it. Don’t serve anything you wouldn’t eat. Jiro and his team are incredibly picky with how they choose what fish they serve. The taste is just one criteria. He examines the cuts, the textures, the firmness and tests for specific degrees of quality. As students, we know how to do two things very well: procrastinate and produce bullshit. We write papers the night before they’re due and cram for tests. The world doesn’t operate like that. The quality of your work will reflect in the quality of life you lead.

In order to become great at something, give nothing less that your best effort. Every time you go to work, don’t sell yourself short, do the best you can every second. Maybe you’ll end up doing too much, but isn’t that a good thing? So what if your co-workers are doing significantly less and you’re getting paid the same amount? You have to realize that you don’t want to be in this position forever.If you want to get anywhere, stop comparing yourself to people who don’t have the same drive as you do. sushi tei menu suria sabahServe your best every moment.ichiban sushi menu robinson Set your own standards. genki sushi menu legacy placeGo above the expectations of others while going beyond your own. sushi conveyor belt brussels

Jiro is extremely hard on himself and his team. He is a nothing-less type of individual who strives for only the best. He sets his own bar for discipline. Of course, not everyone can be so strict on themselves like this. Some people will need encouragement and positive reinforcement, but in order for you to reach another level of mastery, the presence of strong self, constructive criticism is necessary. When other’s tell you, “you’re being too hard on yourself,” tell them that you’re aware of it. jiro dreams of sushi comprarMake it clear that the self-criticism is there to help propel you and motivate yourself to push for better. jiro dreams of sushi greek subsIt’s not the criticism that discourages you from progressing, it’s your mentality that determines the worth of your effort.

A food critic explains the 5 cornerstone attributes a chef must attain in order to become the best.You were always told to be patient. “Good things come to those that wait.” But realize that “better things come to those who hustle.” In order for you to progress, you must have a sense of urgency and impatience to fuel that creativity to become better. It is very easy to become complacent. Patience is important, but it depends on the situation. Having impatience on your road to mastery an integral part to preventing stagnation. The impatience will make you itch every second that you’re not spending time to improve.That’s what we’ve always been told. Work your ass off and you’ll have a chance to become successful. Don’t forget about your well-being. What’s the point of all of it, if your body can’t function. A driver is nothing without his vehicle. Jiro collapsed during one of trips to the fish market. After that incident he knew he had to be smarter with his health.

He stopped his habit of smoking in order to treat his body better so he can further continue his mastery. Your body needs to be in shape to inherit all of the benefits that come from your hard work. When people tell you “you’re working too hard,” take it as a compliment but also as a reminder to keep yourself in line. One part of being great is longevity. With any mastery it takes time. Time spent ill is time wasted. Jiro may be a master of sushi, but he relies on the expertise of other masters of their craft. Whether it be choosing the right tuna or the best shrimp, they all are integral parts of Jiro’s business and success. Without their expertise, his success is limited. Jiro jokes about how receives all the glory. He is aware that it is team that prepares everything throughout the restaurant and does all of the hard work. You simply cannot be great by doing it alone. Maintain a team of individuals that you trust and those who push you to do something greater.

You may know a lot, but you won’t know everything. Thinking that you know everything makes you complacent with what you have. Those who are the best at what they do constantly ask themselves how they can improve their craft. Humility and curiosity are qualities that will catalyze your improvement. What you can learn and improve on is limitless. Umami in Japanese means a pleasant savory taste. Jiro explains that “the umami is brought out through the balance of the flavors.” He makes sure that there is harmony between the flavors of the fish and the rice. He goes even further by ‘orchestrating a symphony’ of sushi for his customers. He carefully crafts the order of which sushi he serves. Likewise, we must find such harmony in our lives. Just as it differs between types of fish, each of our own definitions of harmony differs. Jiro is definitely an anomaly. His work ethic is unparalleled, but at what cost. I believe that in order for someone to be truly happy they are actively involved in everything that is important to them.

Clearly for Jiro his sole goal is to become the best at his craft. But what did he leave on the backburner? Where did family sit in his list of priorities? His sons talk about how he wasn’t present throughout their childhood. At times they didn’t even recognize their father when he came home. Jiro had explained it multiple times, he dedicated his life to his craft. There isn’t a moment where he doesn’t try to improve his craft. He loathed vacations or days off. His life revolves around what goes on in that restaurant. Though admirable, life doesn’t have to be like that. We have the potential to become the best at what we do, while harvesting the beauty in the small things of life. Every individual chooses their fitting pieces to their puzzle. Jiro provides incredible life advice, but is not a role model for everyone. We each have our own priorities to balance out. Be prepared to struggle to find this balance. It is a culmination of what we do that reflects who we are and will be.