Yutaro Narihara Column Vol. 8
“What Is Preparation For? What I Realized After Entering the Action Phase”

As August was coming to an end, I started thinking about what I wanted to write about this month.

But I couldn’t find a theme that made me think, “This is it.”

Looking back, August was a month when I stayed focused on what was in front of me and kept moving.

Based on everything I had researched, thought through, and prepared, I met people, contacted them, and responded to whatever happened in front of me. Before I knew it, I had moved from the “preparation phase” into the “action phase.”

In this column, I want to look back on August and think about how everything I had prepared supported me once I started taking action—and what preparation is really for.

From Preparing to Taking Action

I realized that there are different phases to bringing something to life.

It begins with researching, thinking, and organizing what you need. It’s the time when you gradually shape what’s inside you, somewhere no one else can see yet.

Once the preparation is somewhat in place, you enter the phase where you meet people, respond to whatever happens in front of you, and start moving yourself.

In August, production work for Red Demon, the stage play scheduled for October, also began in earnest. The number of things that required me to get out and take action increased all at once.

I contacted people, went to meet them, and prepared whatever was needed. Last-minute meetings were added between existing plans, and whenever something changed, I responded to it. Other work came up suddenly as well.

Rather than following a schedule that had been decided in advance, each day was about responding to what was happening in front of me and deciding what needed to happen next.

I wasn’t physically exhausted, but each day ended quickly. Then a week passed, and before I knew it, August was almost over. I couldn’t remember the last time a month had gone by this fast.

It wasn’t that I had no time to reflect. I simply didn’t feel the need to. I was focused on responding to what was happening in front of me and continuing to move.

What Is Preparation For?

Once you enter the action phase, many things happen that you didn’t expect.

Plans can suddenly come up or change completely. Sometimes, you only discover what you need—or what the problem is—after you start moving.

No matter how much you prepare beforehand, you can’t make everything go according to plan.

Until now, I thought preparation was about bringing the possibility of failure as close to zero as possible.

You research what you need beforehand and think about the problems that might arise. You reduce as much uncertainty as possible so you won’t panic when the real moment comes. That was what preparation meant to me.

But once you actually start moving, unexpected things can still happen, no matter how much you have prepared.

Even then, I was able to respond to each situation instead of becoming unable to move. At least this time, I could do that because I had researched, thought things through, and put myself in a position where I could ask the right people for help.

That made me realize that preparation isn’t only about avoiding failure.

It’s also about being ready not to panic when something unexpected happens—and being able to figure out your next move.

It’s not about making sure everything goes according to plan. It’s about being ready to respond when it doesn’t.

Looking back on August made me realize that preparation can play that role too.

This Column Gave Me a Chance to Reflect

Of course, I didn’t spend August consciously thinking about any of this.

If something changed, I responded. If something was needed, I made it. If I needed to talk to someone, I went to meet them.

That was the cycle I was in.

At the time, I wasn’t thinking about which phase I was in or how my preparation was helping me.

If it weren’t for this column, I probably would have kept running.

And that would have been a valid choice too.

Once you enter the action phase, there are times when it’s better to keep going as far as you can instead of stopping over and over again.

I didn’t stop this time because I was stuck or unable to move forward.

The deadline for this column was approaching, and it gave me time to ask myself, “What should I write about?” and reflect.

August went by in an instant.

There wasn’t one particular event that felt special enough to become the theme of an article.

But when I stopped to look for something to write about, I realized that it wasn’t that nothing had happened. I had been moving nonstop, responding to whatever was in front of me based on everything I had prepared.

And I could respond that way because of all the time I had already spent researching, thinking, and preparing.

There’s no need to force yourself to stop.

Still, because I stopped in a place where I normally wouldn’t, I saw something I couldn’t see while I was running.

This column gave me a chance to reflect.

Once I finish writing this, I’ll return my focus to what’s in front of me.

For now, I’m going to keep running like this until the October performances.

Just with my antenna tuned a little more closely to the ordinary moments of everyday life.