My very first Miso making workshop was very… quiet. I didn’t get any participant. Zero. Nevertheless, at that day I carried everything as I planned to see how it would go. Embarrassing to say but things didn’t go as I thought at all. I ran out of time to cover all contents. It was a valuable experience for me. I analyzed the cause of failure. Probably the day I picked was not very convenient for people. I was so new that people didn’t know about me and the workshop. And it was actually good that nobody came because my scheduling of the day was not so realistic.
A few months later, I got an inquiry from Calgary. He heard about my Miso making from a good friend of mine and asked if I could teach him how to make Miso.
I was planning to visit Calgary that summer. I was already thinking to show my Japanese friends how to make Miso for their interest, so I invited him to come.
He was very keen to learn. He communicated with me well prior to the workshop. He respected and valued my time and knowledge. He was committed. Naturally I worked very hard to give him the best I could provide. He showed up on time at that day among several of my friends. The workshop went really well.
I learned a very important thing from this experience – I need just one right person to make the miracle happen. 100 of wrong people don’t substitute this 1.
This reminds me the experience of playing music with someone else. Typically I sing alone when I practice. But when someone else sings with me or plays the guitar, piano or anything, I often go into a different world. It is like the person is awakening my potential. When I can play with such a musician, I enjoy the music, the co-player and myself much, much more.
Same thing happens when you work, well, practically when you do anything. If you get a right person, not only you perform better but also it becomes more exciting and a lot of fun.
A large volume and/or numbers look necessary for success, but it is not true. Just one person can create such a successful synergy to you.
On the other hand, we often do things without involving others. It works in many cases, but your world changes when you get a single right person. He stimulates and motivates you. You discover your potential, and she appreciates and enjoys your contribution. As the result, you shine.
It is such a precious experience to work with ‘the one’. It is joy to meet such a person in our life.