I joined EO Nagoya in last June. And there is a mechanism called “Forum”, which is said to be a killer content in EO, and this time I will try to spell out something I usually put on the forum table.

What on earth is “Forum” ?

I’m still a newbie and have only experienced the forum system four times, so I’ll share my understanding. Every month, we meet with 6 (or more entrepreneurs) and carry out “Introspection about the events of the past month, and the conflict (fluffy, moody) that is about 5% of the bottom of my heart that I cannot share with anyone. We make it open to the participants to explore the unknown potential of entrepreneurs. By being aware of this forum on a daily basis, we will become accustomed to introspecting our own words and actions, and we will be able to focus on deep issues rather than our own superficial issues. By digging up this and facing each of them, we will have a high chance to be able to draw out the potential from the bottom.

Then, what is 1% reflection? 

Introspection of deep emotional conflicts that I haven’t told anyone in the first place is called 5% reflection, but among them, it seems that “this is something that contributes greatly to my ego.” I just named that 1% reflection.

For example, what is it?

In my case, since last July, I have been facing the question, “Why do I feel uneasy when the company’s sales drop significantly?” In my case, this “why” is
1) To think whether there is a problem with the ability as an entrepreneur/CEO
2) To think about the possibility that there is a problem with the ability and start to wonder what to do to improve the ability (eg. quantity and quality of input, quantity and quality of output)
3) In this case, to wonder how much time and money will be spent to improve.
After the above thought process, this turned out to be my 1st anxiety seed.

Second,
1) In the worst case, if sales does not increase over a certain period of time, to think about what to do
2) To think that it will cause trouble to my family if I do not make profits other than the company
3) In that case, am worried that it may be necessary to destroy the new home / environment that I am currently starting to create.
Oh yes, this is the 2nd kind of anxiety seed.

As I deepen my thinking, the first and second seeds of anxiety are due to the fact that my father had to close a self-employed laundry mat in my childhood, and there was also zero opportunity for him to develop new skills to live for what he wants to do because earning living expenses was his first priority. He did take various jobs from morning till night. I realized that I was most afraid of losing my way of life (the way to achieve what I really want to achieve in my life) as much as it would have an adverse effect on my family and environment. I also recalled that the light of my father’s lively eyes was lost back then, and that the loneliness and feeling of loss when I saw it were so huge.

It looks like 2022 will be when we face these fears. Regardless of whether or not I will keep to belong to EO, I would like to make this kind of awareness mechanism a habit in myself and grow as a person and as an entrepreneur!

Masaki “Mark” Iino
Founder & CEO
SOPHOLA, Inc
PS: I’ve gradually come to realization about how tough to be a father. Oh I used to be cute back then too:)