Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall In Love With the Process of Becoming Great

John chops wood all day, growing frustrated and tired. Akira takes him aside and tells him a story. In the story, a man named Kota is a famous architect who believes one should always keep learning and honing their craft. As a result, his craft is admired, he is respected, and his homes are cherished. When he tells his boss he is leaving, the boss asks him to build one more house, which he agrees to halfheartedly. The house he builds is subpar because he is looking to the future and not the present. After months of work, the house is finished but imperfect. The boss surprises Kota with the keys to the house, and Kota knows he did not do a good job on the house because he did not realize he was building his own house. Akira then tells John that, like Kota, he is building his own house. John reflects on this.

An archery tournament is announced, and John is eager to win the tournament. Hearing John’s goal-oriented excitement, Akira takes him aside and tells him about Ingvar Kamprad, a young Swedish boy selling single matchsticks door to door. After putting in years of work, Kamprad opens Ikea. Akira tells him that while everyone wants to start the next big company, few put in the work every day on the small tasks that are unglamorous and dull. Akira explains that being faithful to the process day by day is how champions are made.

After months in Japan, John is still carrying water and chopping wood, and he is frustrated. John confronts Akira and asks how long it will be until he becomes a samurai archer, to which Akira tells him to “fall in love with the process of becoming great” and to return to chopping wood and carrying water (14). The first year passes, and John is, at last, able to speak to his family again. He enjoys seeing Jordan and talking to his parents but is sad to tell them he is still only shooting seven feet away. John asks again how long it will take to become a samurai archer, and Akira tells him it will take a decade, or two decades if he doesn’t chop wood and carry water. John doesn’t understand, and Akira explains that ice climbers would fall if they looked only at the summit. This satiates John, and he resolves to let go of the result and focus on the journey.

John is naturally competitive and strives to chop the most wood, carry the most water, and finish each task the quickest. Carrying water one day, John trips, and Akira explains that not everything in life is a test. Instead, John should look for opportunities to grow, not to show off.

Although he knows that focusing on the goal was not what Akira was trying to teach him, John starts to practice shooting from dusk to nightfall every evening, eventually straining and injuring his bow arm. After visiting the hospital, John finds himself on the sidelines for the next two months. Akira asks who John would be if what John did was taken from him. Akira asks John to consider that his value is stable and enduring, regardless of what he does. Akira explains that his value is found in God, who loves him whether he succeeds or fails. He asks John to find something that cannot be taken away to form his identity.

As John and Akira watch basketball, they discuss how Kobe Bryant says he will retire if he hits his sixth title win. Akira explains that if one achievement doesn’t satiate someone, a million will also leave him thirsty. He explains that chasing achievements is like drinking salt water to quench thirst. Akira asks his trainees to write out what traits they admire in others. Once they do, he asks them to pick four and to grade themselves twice a day against this metric, rather than success at sports, income, success in others’ eyes, or any other societal measure of success.

Akira tells John a story about a witch selling off all her evil possessions except one, a worn tool meant for her niece. The tool is discouragement, the mightiest of all her evil tricks. To guard himself from discouragement, Akira tells John to be careful what he fuels himself with. If he puts good things into his heart and mind, good results will follow.

After trying and failing all day, John is approached by Akira, who asks how the day went. Since nothing went well, John admits this. Akira explains that humility is not the same as self-loathing and belittling, but rather thinking of oneself less. He asks John to write down 15 to 63 things he does well after every practice. By doing this, Akira claims John can rewire his brain to focus on the positive and the growth happening in his skillset rather than the negative. This is better fuel for his brain and his heart. John then does this, detailing what went right in his practice, two areas for growth, and a worth statement.

Another year passes. Akira tells John about an interview he heard with Will Smith, in which Smith explains that talent is born but skill is made, and eventually talent will need to lean on skill in order to survive. Akira explains that most people give up when times are hard, or never try at all. Only a select few men and women of character and talent ever work hard enough to add skill to the mix and gain true success. John explains how social media makes the world look like everyone has talent while hiding the hard work.