How to Bring Seiroku Honda’s ‘Occupational Pastime’ Happiness into Today’s Workplace

Seiroku Honda (1866-1952), known as the “father of Japanese parks,” designed numerous parks, taught as a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Agriculture, and amassed great wealth as an investor. In his book My Confession of Wealth he explains how to transform your work into what he called “occupational pastimes.”

Every occupation is like every art: at first you must endure some hardship, but when you are convinced that your job and your calling are your vocation, when you do not waver or doubt and devote yourself single-mindedly, enjoyment will inevitably arise sooner or later. Once your work becomes enjoyable, it is no longer painful or burdensome. It becomes joy, energy, and a splendid occupational pastime.

My Confession of Wealth, “5. How Ordinary People Succeed – The Pleasure of Work”

In my experience-something I have often repeated-the greatest happiness in life lies in turning one’s occupation into a pastime. Neither wealth, nor honor, nor fine food and clothing can compare with the delight of occupational pastimes. Call it art, hobby, entertainment, play, sport, or pleasure-whatever you like. When everyone throws their whole heart and strength into their job, when their daily duties are irresistibly fun, that is a true occupational pastime.

My Confession of Wealth, “5. How Ordinary People Succeed – Getting Ahead on Study”

Partner

If the work we tackle becomes a hobby-like joy and the greatest happiness in life, that would indeed be wonderful!

Sato

“Do not waver, do not doubt, devote yourself single-mindedly,” huh? Easier said than done…

In a time when lifetime employment was standard and switching to a different field was rare, it may have been effective to convince yourself that the work in front of you was your calling.

My Confession of Wealth is still beloved today, and the passages above are frequently highlighted online. Yet applying them literally in the present day can feel daunting.

So how can we adapt the idea of occupational pastimes to modern life?

Is the ideal of occupational pastimes mismatched with today?

If I had to summarize what to do in order to reach an occupational pastime, the message in My Confession of Wealth would be “Work and study hard-you can do it!”

It lays out how ordinary people (not geniuses) can make their work enjoyable by steadily stacking small efforts.

Undoubtedly we still need sustained effort today. But in an age flooded with information, it is difficult to unquestioningly devote your time and energy while believing “this job, this direction is my calling; I will not doubt it and I will give it my all.”

Sato

With so many jobs out there, I do not have the mental toughness to keep believing that my current path is “the one.” I would probably give up and chase something else right away.

Partner

Turning work into a pastime takes time, so it helps to embrace other perspectives too.

How you learn to improve tends to carry over between fields

If you have already excelled in one field, you may have noticed this: the way you practice and improve often transfers to other ventures or hobbies.

For example, someone who played baseball in school experienced the value of drills, studying opponents, and communicating with teammates. Even if they later work in a completely different profession, they can leverage those lessons to guide their effort.

Of course, applying your know-how to a new field sometimes requires case-by-case adjustments, but the principles behind your effort and creativity are often surprisingly universal.

Sato

I love clearing games by reading guides and watching strategy videos!

Partner

That counts as effort too. Research and preparation are useful skills, and you can absolutely apply them elsewhere.

Perhaps the modern path is to keep exploring while building your own learning method

With today’s variety of careers and values, it is hard to keep believing that your current field is your calling-unless it truly fits you or you have extraordinary willpower.

Sato

I cannot help thinking, “Maybe another field would suit me better-I might enjoy that more.”

Take Takafumi Horie, one of Japan’s most prominent entrepreneurs. In his book Tadoryoku (“The Power to Do Many Things”) he advises, “Get hooked like a monkey, get bored like a pigeon,” meaning dive deep, then move on. He advocates sampling many fields and succeeding through combinations of experiences.

Partner

Rather than clinging to a single field, it feels more modern to go see whatever else catches your interest.

While you explore other areas, keep refining your personal method for improving. Aim to reach a solid level quickly in each new field by applying your accumulated approach.
If you discover that a new area excites you and feels like a good fit, keep investing effort there. If something else sparks your curiosity, switch flexibly-and each time, polish your fundamental way of learning even further.