What I Learn from Haruki Murakami

Life is about Process

When i begin to read that book, the first thing that i fell reading Murakami books was: Owwwww! I enjoy a lot read others authors and their writing styles. But, Haruki elevate that to another level. The most enjoyable thing that i like at the books was the way he describe the scenes and process like he has been talking with us.

The Patience

One thing I learned from reading Haruki’s book is just how much he learned to be patient with his own process and how he gradually matured as a writer. The idea of ​​selling his jazz club to become a writer; back in the days before the internet had become widespread, struck me as madness.

Yet, he believed in it, and his wife bought into the dream of him becoming a writer. Furthermore, Haruki had to exercise patience later on, both during the preparation for marathons and while actually running them.

Often, we lack the patience to wait for a process to unfold over months. Imagine waiting years? Spending years on end dedicated to running and writing. When we read the phrase “twenty years,” it is impossible to truly grasp the magnitude of that time in our minds. Therefore, no matter how detailed and precise the author’s description may be, actually measuring that time and living through it are two entirely different worlds.

Step by Step

Another point that struck me while reading the book is how Haruki breaks down his processes into small steps, and his ability to repeat this day after day, week after week, and month after month. This allowed him to build something solid over the course of many years.

In so many situations in life, we want everything done yesterday. We want to earn $10,000 a month. But wait; what does it take to earn that amount? How much time, effort, and resources must I invest to reach that $10,000 monthly figure?

The same applies to running. Anyone can put on a pair of sneakers and go for a run. But how many people can keep doing it for weeks? Months? Years? That is the key difference I noticed.

No matter how experienced you are in a given field, if you want to reach new heights, you need to practice. And practice is repetition. Think about it: I’m writing this article right now. I could ask an AI to create it for me.

I could… but I shouldn’t. My goal is to keep improving at the process of writing and publishing content online. My growth had been very slow for a while, so I decided to adopt Haruki’s technique: step by step, one day at a time.

How to make difficult decisions

By the end of the book, I realized this is no ordinary book. It is a book about running and philosophy, written in an almost poetic way. It serves as a personal diary of one of the most widely read and enduring living authors of our generation. Just think about it: what better way is there to stand the test of time and achieve immortality? Books…

Above all, I view the author as a man of immense courage. At no point in his life did he seek comfort; instead, he challenged himself, took risks, worked hard, and persevered. Even with all the resources available to us today, how many people possess that kind of drive?

Changing countries, changing professions, and changing one’s lifestyle; I have yet to discover if there are any more drastic life changes than these. Regardless, I am glad to have read another masterpiece, as well as a work that differs completely from my usual reading style, a truly unique experience. I recommend that everyone grab a pen and paper, find a quiet, peaceful spot, and leave their electronic devices at home. Reflect on the changes you want to make in your life, and once you’ve decided, start immediately.