One of my favourite movies of all time is a documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi. If you’re looking to infuse your business or career with some inspiration, watch this movie.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a story of a man, Jiro Ono, and his Michelin three-star restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro.
Sukiyabashi Jiro is a 10-seat restaurant located underground next to the entrance of a train station. And yet, this is one of the most prestigious restaurants in the world.
There is no menu so you get served what they have, reservations are made more than a month in advance, they only serve sushi (no appetizers), you must eat quickly and they tell you to leave when you’re done being served, and it’s considered one of the most expensive dining experiences in the world based on cost vs. how long you spend in the restaurant.
What makes this movie inspiring is Jiro’s relentless pursuit of perfection. The restaurant was founded in 1965, which is a long time for a 10-seat restaurant located next to a train station.
Every detail of the business is optimized to the highest standards, including where he sources his food, the dining experience, how dishes are prepared, and literally every other aspect of the business.
What I love most about this movie is it embodies an idealized version of a business: absolute mastery over every detail.
It also speaks to an internal desire we all feel to bring meaning to our work. His pursuit of mastery and the relentless focus on doing the same thing every single day is inspiring.
As W. H. Auden said, “Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.“
It reminds me of the book, Chop Wood, Carry Water. Excellence is often about doing the fundamentals with relentless consistency.
Below are a few driving points, quotes, and ideas that wrote down last time I watched the documentary.
Quotes and notes from the documentary
“We are not trying to be exclusive or elite. The techniques we use are no big secret. It really comes down to making an effort and repeating the same thing every day.”
“Once you decide in your occupation, you just 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 key to success and is the key to being regarded honorably.”
“We are not trying to be exclusive or elite. The techniques we use are no big secret. It really comes down to making an effort and repeating the same thing every day.”
“The only think about him that changed in 40 years is he stopped smoking.”
A good chef has five attributes:
- They take their work seriously and consistently perform at the highest level.
- They aspire to improve their skills.
- Cleanliness.
- Impatience. They are better leaders than collaborators. They insist on having things their way.
- A great chef is passionate.
Michelin stars look for three things:
- Quality
- Originality
- Consistency
Additional quotes and ideas:
- “I do the same thing over and over, always trying to improve it.”
- “Every day better than the last time.”
- “We don’t care about the money.”
- “If it doesn’t taste good I don’t serve it.”
- Their fish broker from the market: “If I don’t buy my first pick, I buy nothing.”
- Jiro works every day (except national holidays and funerals).
- “You must do the work.”
There are so many other great business and life lessons from the movie, and maybe I’ll share some soon.
But the main takeaway of this article is one thing: radical consistency can be a path to making your work more meaningful and (to me) is one of the main drivers of success in business and in life.
What things could you do so consistently that, if you did it, your work would have greater meaning and your business would thrive?
Leave a comment below.