Flow & Focus — FoundersJP

How Ordinary People Can Still Benefit From the AI Boom, Practical Ways

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 14:25:46 GMT

The AI revolution is not something in the distant future. It is already here, and the wealth it creates is already being distributed.

Over the past year, the Nasdaq-100 Index has risen from roughly 22,000 to nearly 30,000, a reminder of how much value investors believe AI could create.

The impact is also visible in the semiconductor industry. South Korean memory-chip maker SK hynix has reported exceptionally strong performance, and media reports suggested that average employee bonuses for 2025 exceeded approximately US$400,000 per person, with some analysts projecting even higher payouts for 2026—potentially approaching US$850,000 on average if current results continue.

AI is reshaping nearly every industry. For many people, the job they hold today may turn out to be the last version of that role as we know it.

A friend of mine, an entrepreneur, recently told me that his company is hiring designers very differently now. Tasks that once required a traditional designer can often be handled by AI. What employers increasingly want are people who know how to work with AI and direct it effectively.

I have felt this change firsthand. Over the past year, while running my one-person company in Japan, I used AI to help me complete annual filings, tax paperwork, and visa-renewal procedures on my own. Tasks that once required outside specialists are becoming more accessible with the right AI tools.

History shows that during every major technological shift—the Industrial Revolution, the internet era, even the rise of cryptocurrencies—many people do not realize what is happening until they have already fallen behind. It is better to engage with change than to resist it.

For ordinary people, there are two practical ways to share in the benefits of AI.

First, consider building long-term investments.

Regularly investing spare cash in broad U.S. stock market index funds allows you to benefit from the work of some of the world’s most innovative companies and talented people.

For many, this is a more sustainable path than rushing into entrepreneurship, which remains difficult and stress even with AI tools.

From what I have seen, some of the earliest AI-enabled solo businesses have already shut down, and many others are struggling. AI can improve efficiency, but it cannot create customers or demand out of thin air.

Second, make AI part of your daily life.

You do not need to build the next groundbreaking startup. AI can be a thoughtful partner in ordinary life if you weave it into your routines and decision-making.

Recently, for example, AI helped me solve a frustrating problem with a Japanese banking app that I could not access.

Living abroad with limited language skills can often feel like navigating a black box. In those moments, AI has become a patient and capable companion.

The goal is to bring AI from something you merely watch from the sidelines into something you can influence and use directly in your own life.

The real opportunity is not to compete against AI, but to learn to live and work alongside it. For many of us—including digital nomads—that may be the most practical way to thrive in the years ahead.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Finding Peace With Mortality Through Film, How Two Films Changed the Way I Think About Death

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 14:25:05 GMT

In an era flooded with rough AI-generated videos and endless streams of content, I suddenly felt the urge to recommend two older works that left a lasting mark on me:

Dreams and Midnight Mass.

Both helped me confront a subject that many people avoid talking about: death.

Like sex education, death was rarely discussed when I was growing up. School didn’t teach me much about it. My parents didn’t either.

Yet death is one of the few experiences every human being must eventually face alone.

For years, I searched for my own answers.

A Winter Night I Never Forgot

When I was a child, my family lived in an apartment building connected to a hospital.

From my bedroom window, I could see the inpatient ward and the emergency center. Ambulances came and went throughout the night, flashing red and blue lights through the darkness.

One winter evening, a patient apparently did not survive.

Outside the hospital entrance, a family member sat on the steps and cried with a grief so raw that it cut through the night.

I lay awake for hours.

I was afraid to move.

As strange as it sounds, I felt that if I turned over in bed, the sound of that grief would somehow find me.

My family slept peacefully in the next room.

But a thought kept circling in my mind:

One day, everyone I love and I will be separated forever.

For the first time, the sentence “everyone dies eventually” stopped being an abstract idea and became something real.

Death felt cold.

Final.

Heartbreaking.

And from that moment on, stories about ghosts and the afterlife were no longer enough for me.

I wanted a deeper answer.

A Village That Changed My View of Death

Years later, I watched Akira Kurosawa’s film Dreams.

One segment in particular stayed with me: “Village of the Watermills.”

In the story, the protagonist discovers an idyllic village untouched by modern life.

There he meets a man over one hundred years old who is preparing to attend the funeral of his first love.

But the funeral is unlike anything we usually imagine.

The villagers sing.

They carry flowers.

They celebrate the life that has been lived.

Death is not treated as a tragedy alone, but as a return to the earth that gave life in the first place.

For the first time, I encountered a vision of death that contained peace.

Not denial.

Not fear.

Not despair.

Peace.

Since then, my ideal funeral has looked very different from the traditional image.

I imagine music instead of silence.

Laughter alongside tears.

Friends gathering not only to mourn, but also to celebrate a life well lived.

If I ever have a gravestone, I know what I would like it to say:

“This was a happy person.”

To me, happiness is not a reward at the end of life.

It is the goal itself.

Another Answer

There was another fear I carried for many years.

I was deeply uncomfortable with the physical reality of death.

The idea of burial unsettled me.

The thought that a body carefully maintained throughout life would eventually return to decay felt difficult to accept.

Then I watched Midnight Mass.

Among its many themes is a conversation about what happens after death.

The explanation is not religious in the traditional sense.

Nor is it entirely scientific.

Instead, it presents a view of existence that feels both cosmic and deeply human.

The idea that our bodies return to the larger cycle of life.

That the atoms that make us who we are continue their journey through the universe.

That nothing is truly isolated.

That even the smallest life carries meaning.

I found that perspective surprisingly comforting.

Not because it removed death.

But because it softened it.

It transformed death from a cold ending into a form of continuation.

A return.

A reunion with something larger than ourselves.

The Search Continues

I do not claim to have solved the mystery of death.

I still do not feel ready for it.

Perhaps no one ever truly is.

But through stories, films, books, and conversations, I have gradually made peace with some of the fear.

Cinema cannot answer every question.

Yet sometimes a work of art shines a small light into a dark corner of the human experience.

For me, Dreams and Midnight Mass did exactly that.

They did not eliminate death.

They helped me look at it with a little less fear.

And that, perhaps, is enough for now.

The search for answers continues.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

How to Reduce AI Anxiety? Focus on What You Can Control, Focus on What Won’t Change

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 13:28:22 GMT

Over the past two years, the pace of AI development has felt overwhelming.

Every few weeks, a new tool appears and promises to change everything.

Yesterday everyone was talking about ChatGPT. Today people are building AI agents, creating videos, generating music, or launching automated businesses. Before you’ve mastered one workflow, a new model arrives.

The media constantly pushes the latest updates, creating the feeling that if you stop learning, you’ll be left behind.

The Hidden Problem Behind AI Anxiety

I suspect many people have experienced the same strange feeling I have.

You save countless tutorials.

You follow dozens of AI creators.

You spend more time learning.

Yet somehow, you become more anxious.

The truth is simple: AI tools are evolving faster than any individual can keep up with.

Every time I open my computer, I see someone sharing a new project, a new opportunity, or a new breakthrough. It creates the impression that everyone else is moving faster.

As someone who has gone through several ups and downs as an entrepreneur during different waves of the internet era…this feeling is especially familiar.

I’ve watched opportunities pass by before. I’ve seen technologies I didn’t fully understand become massive trends later.（For example Bitcoin）

Like many people, I always worry about missing the next big thing again.

Over time, however, I realized there was a deeper issue.

We spend so much attention on what is changing that we rarely ask what remains unchanged.

Bezos and the Question Most People Ignore

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos once shared a simple but powerful idea.We also call this a longtermism approach.

People often ask:

“What will change in the next ten years?”

But a better question is:

“What will not change in the next ten years?”

Change is uncertain.

What stays the same is where long-term value is built.

AI models will continue to improve.

Platforms will rise and fall.

Popular industries will come and go.

But certain abilities never become obsolete:

The ability to learn.
The ability to think independently.
The ability to create value.
The ability to communicate clearly.
The ability to build trust.

These skills do not disappear when a new model is released. They do not become worthless when a platform declines.

For me, the most valuable skill is something even deeper:

The ability to understand what I truly want.

And The ability to identify opportunities with strong long-term compounding potential.

Many forms of anxiety are not caused by change itself.

They come from not knowing where to invest our time and energy.

The Serenity Prayer

On the first page of my journal, I keep a quote often associated with recovery groups:

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

For years, I thought growth was mostly about working harder.

Now I think growth is largely about making better judgments.

Knowing what to pursue.

Knowing what to let go of.

Knowing what requires action.

Knowing what requires acceptance.

A Practical Framework: The Three Circles

One of the most useful ideas I’ve encountered is the Three Circles Framework.

1. The Control Circle

These are things entirely within your control.

Examples include:

Reading and learning
Exercise and sleep
Time management
Emotional regulation
Daily habits

The outcome is directly connected to your actions.

When you take action, you can see progress.

2. The Influence Circle

These are things you cannot fully control but can influence.

Examples include:

Teamwork
Client relationships
Family communication
Professional networking

You cannot control how others think, but you can influence outcomes through communication, trust, and consistency.

3. The Concern Circle

These are things completely outside your control.

Examples include:

Economic cycles
Industry trends
Global events
Other people’s opinions
The speed of AI development

Many people spend most of their energy here.

They constantly consume news.

They worry about changing industries.

They monitor platform algorithms.

They fear losing opportunities.

The information may be useful, but excessive attention creates the illusion of progress.

In reality, you may not be taking action at all.

You may simply be worrying.

A Simple Test

Whenever you face a problem, ask yourself:

“Who controls this situation?”

If the answer is “me,” it belongs in the Control Circle.

If the answer is “partly me,” it belongs in the Influence Circle.

If the answer is “not me at all,” it belongs in the Concern Circle.

Then ask a second question:

“What specific actions can I take right now?”

If you can immediately list several actions, it probably belongs in the Control or Influence Circle.

If all you can do is worry, it probably belongs in the Concern Circle.

The 80-15-5 Energy Rule

Once you understand the three circles, the next step is deciding where to invest your energy.

A simple guideline is:

80% of your energy on the Control Circle
15% on the Influence Circle
5% on the Concern Circle

Most long-term growth comes from the Control Circle.

Reading every day.

Learning useful skills.

Improving your health.

Creating meaningful work.

Building consistent habits.

These activities may feel slow, but they create powerful results over time.

Reframe the Question

One of the most useful mental habits is learning to reframe problems.

Instead of asking:

“Will AI replace me?”

Ask:

“How can I use AI to become more effective?”

The first question focuses on the Concern Circle.

The second focuses on the Control Circle.

The first creates anxiety.

The second creates action.

The same situation can produce completely different outcomes depending on where you place your attention.

Final Thoughts

The world will continue to change.

AI will continue to improve.

New tools will continue to appear.

But personal growth has never been about controlling everything.

It is about learning to distinguish between what you can change and what you cannot.

Then investing your limited time and energy where they matter most.

When you develop that ability, the outside world may remain noisy and uncertain.

But internally, you become much more stable.

And in an age defined by constant change, that stability may be one of the most valuable skills of all.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

The Romance of Japanese Train Culture: From Tiny Supermarket Railways to Galaxy Express 999

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:58:42 GMT

I had read before that many Japanese people have a deep emotional attachment to trains.

But it was only after living in Tokyo that I began to observe this railway obsession up close.

It does not exist only in the famous Shinkansen 新幹線 or Tokyo’s maze-like train system. It also appears in supermarkets, novels, anime, museums, and ordinary daily life.

One example is a supermarket I often visit: Lopia.ロピア

Lopia is a rapidly growing Japanese supermarket chain that originally started as a butcher shop. Today it has expanded into a large food supermarket group with more than one hundred stores across Japan. It is known for large portions, low prices, and a lively atmosphere. The company even describes itself as a “food amusement park.”

But there is another small detail that makes it unforgettable.

In many Lopia stores, a tiny train runs endlessly along a circular railway track attached to the ceiling.

Click-clack. Click-clack.

Every day, the little train quietly “goes to work” above shoppers’ heads.

The first time I saw it, I felt strangely pulled into a fairy tale.

I stood there beside the shelves, excitedly taking photos with my phone.

Around me were discount announcements for wagyu beef. Above me was a miniature train rushing through the air.

In the exhausting adult world, who secretly left behind this tiny corner of childhood fantasy?

It felt romantic, but also a little bittersweet.

I quietly wondered:

Was the founder of Lopia perhaps a railway enthusiast too?

Japan’s railway fan culture is famous.

Some people spend entire days photographing trains.

Some collect station departure melodies.

Others travel across half the country just to ride a limited-edition train.

And honestly, I also have my own memories connected to trains.

As a child, I often traveled long distances by train with my family.

Later, during my school years, I experienced many train rides lasting more than twenty-four hours.

At night, lying on the sleeper bed, I could feel the air pressure when trains passed each other.

The train would move through tunnels and over bridges while the wheels repeatedly struck the rails:

Clunk—clunk. Clunk—clunk.

The sound mixed with the gentle shaking of the carriage.

Inside the cabin, someone snored softly. Someone whispered. Someone walked down the aisle.

Images of reunions and farewells at train stations floated through my mind before I slowly fell asleep.

Even today, that remains one of my favorite forms of white noise.

In many countries, railways are simply transportation.

But in Japan, trains became part of a shared cultural memory.

They carry a feeling somewhere between wandering and belonging.

And Japanese culture transformed that feeling into literature and imagination.

If you want to understand Japanese railway culture, I would recommend these three works and places:

1.Night on the Galactic Railroad

This classic Japanese story by Kenji Miyazawa follows a boy named Giovanni, who boards a mysterious train traveling across the stars.

Although often described as a children’s story, it is deeply philosophical, exploring loneliness, friendship, life, and death.

The slowly moving galactic train becomes a symbol of life’s journey itself.

The book later influenced many Japanese anime, films, and games — including Galaxy Express 999.

2.Galaxy Express 999

Created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, Galaxy Express 999 became one of Japan’s most iconic science-fiction stories.

It follows a boy named Tetsuro, who travels across the universe aboard the space train “999” in search of an eternal mechanical body.

What makes the story unforgettable is not only the adventure, but the repeated encounters and farewells during the journey.

The image of a steam train crossing the universe perfectly combines Japanese railway nostalgia with romantic imagination.

For many Japanese people, it became a symbol of “the distant unknown.”

3. The Railway Museum

Located in Omiya, Saitama, the Railway Museum is one of Japan’s most famous train museums.

Operated by JR East, it features real steam locomotives, Shinkansen trains, classic Showa-era railcars, driving simulators, and huge railway models.

But unlike many technical museums, this place feels more like a cultural archive about the relationship between Japanese people and trains.

Children and adults become equally excited there.

That is what makes railway culture in Japan so interesting:

It is not only a niche hobby for train enthusiasts.

It is a shared emotional language across generations.

And suddenly, the tiny train running across the ceiling of Lopia supermarket starts to make perfect sense.

Because in Japan, trains are never just transportation.

They are childhood.

They are travel.

They are distant places.

Sometimes, they even become a metaphor for life itself.

And in ordinary daily life, they offer people a tiny moment of escape — a small moving piece of romance running quietly above their heads.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Japan’s Aging Society and the Rise of Silver Creators: Growing Old Doesn’t Mean Disappearing

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:15:46 GMT

Japan is widely known as one of the world’s most aging societies.

During my time living here, I’ve had the chance to observe this “silver society” from an everyday perspective — not through statistics, but through small scenes in daily life.

Recently, a Japanese VTuber agency called Ota Group announced a new project. At first, many people assumed it would be another youth-oriented internet culture experiment.

But there was one surprising detail:

The average age of the agency’s VTubers was over 75 years old.

Among them, the most talked-about was Hiroko, a grandmother who debuted as a VTuber at the age of 85.

Within just a few days, she gained tens of thousands of followers. Her YouTube channel quickly passed 60,000 subscribers.

What made people interested was not simply the novelty of seeing an elderly VTuber. It reflected something deeper about modern Japanese society:

Older people are no longer seen only as people who need care.

More and more, they are viewed as individuals who can continue pursuing personal meaning and self-expression.

Elderly People at the Gym

I once mentioned a Japanese language teacher named Teppei whose podcast I often listen to:

A High-Quality Japanese Listening Podcast for Beginners: Learn Naturally Through Daily Input

In several episodes, he casually talks about seeing people in their 70s and 80s exercising seriously at the gym.

And honestly?

It looks incredibly cool.

That image stayed with me for a long time.

Colored Hair and Self-Expression

Walking through Tokyo, you start noticing something interesting.

Silver hair is no longer the only symbol of old age.

Some elderly people dye their hair purple, blue, green, or pink. especially women.

It does not feel like an attempt to “look young.”
Instead, it feels more like a statement:

Aging does not automatically mean silence.

People can continue experimenting, expressing themselves, and enjoying identity at any age.

The Elderly Woman on the Bridge

Near a bridge I often pass at night in Tokyo, I sometimes see an elderly woman holding a professional camera, quietly photographing the Tokyo Skytree.

She always looks deeply focused, almost as if she is having a silent conversation with the city itself.

For her, photography does not feel like a casual hobby.

It feels serious. Consistent. Personal.

That moment made me realize something:

Older people are not disappearing from public life.
Many are still actively shaping it.

Japan’s Growing Silver Creator Culture

In recent years, creative activities among elderly Japanese people have become increasingly visible.

On YouTube, some are gaming streamers. Others share photography, painting, or travel content. Many hold personal exhibitions and gain young audiences online.

One of the most famous examples was Kimiko Nishimoto, who passed away in June 2025 at the age of 97.

She only started photography at age 72.

At 82, she held her first photography exhibition, titled Asobokane (“Why Not Have Fun?”).

Her work became famous for humorous self-portraits:

falling on the ground
lying inside trash bags
making exaggerated comedic poses

But the photos were not just jokes.

They reflected an independent attitude toward aging and life itself.

Kimiko Nishimoto seemed to say:

Creativity and freedom of expression do not expire with age.

A Culture Space for Older Generations

In Japanese bookstores, there are also many magazines created specifically for older readers.

Publications like Silver Generation or Jinsei (“Life”) cover topics such as:

fashion
beauty
hobbies
travel
lifestyle

These magazines go far beyond simple “healthy aging” advice.

They create cultural space for older generations and quietly communicate a different idea:

After work and child-rearing no longer define your identity, aging may become another kind of beginning.

Final Thoughts

From an 85-year-old VTuber to elderly women with colorful hair in Tokyo, from silver-haired photographers to artists still active in their 90s, Japan offers an interesting perspective on aging.

Here, old age is not always treated as the end of participation.

Sometimes, it becomes an opportunity to redefine yourself and continue exploring life in a new form.

Perhaps that is one of the most fascinating things about Japan’s aging society:

Growing old does not necessarily mean leaving the stage.
Sometimes, it simply means entering it differently.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Why Learning a Language Through Real-Life Situations Works So Well for Beginners

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:22:14 GMT

I’m a self-taught Japanese learner, currently around JLPT N4 level.

I also love anime and video games.

But honestly, I’m one of those people who watched over a thousand episodes of 【Detective Conan】 and still didn’t become fluent in Japanese.

At first, I felt embarrassed about that.

Later, I realized it is actually normal.

Many people cannot learn a language simply through anime.

Entertainment can help motivation, but it does not always teach natural daily conversation.

Why Anime Japanese Is Not Enough

I once recommended a great beginner Japanese podcast called Nihongo Con Teppei for listening practice：

「A High-Quality Japanese Listening Podcast for Beginners: Learn Naturally Through Daily Input」

In several episodes, the host Teppei explains something important:

👉 Japanese used in anime can sound unusual, exaggerated, or unnatural in everyday life.

That does not mean anime is useless.

It just means beginners also need real-life language input.

Especially if you want to travel, live in Japan, or communicate naturally.

A Practical Japanese Resource I Recommend: Yuka

Today, I’d like to recommend another excellent learning resource focused on practical Japanese:

👉 Yuka

What I like most is that her lessons are based on real daily situations.

Examples include:

supermarkets
hotels
taxis
shopping
restaurants
buying tickets while traveling
daily customer service conversations

This kind of language is immediately useful in real life.

Why Her Teaching Method Works So Well

Each lesson usually has three clear steps:

1. Listen first without subtitles

You watch a real-life conversation clip and try to catch what you can naturally.

2. Vocabulary and sentence breakdown

Then she highlights key words and replays the conversation line by line.

This helps you understand what was actually said.

3. Review and repeat

Finally, you review the expressions and practice again.

This structure is simple but very effective.

My Real Experience in Japan

When I first stayed in Japan, I had one common problem:

I could not understand what the supermarket cashier was saying.

The speed felt incredibly fast.

It was like I missed the first word, and suddenly the sentence was already ending with -masuます.

If you have studied Japanese, you probably know this feeling.

But after learning key phrases and practicing those exact situations repeatedly for a few weeks, things became much easier.

That is when I realized:

👉 Focused learning for specific situations works surprisingly well.

Why Practical Scenario Learning Is Great for Beginners

For beginners, trying to learn everything at once can feel overwhelming.

But learning by situation gives you clear progress.

For example:

how to order food
how to ask for help
how to pay at a store
how to check into a hotel
how to ask directions

These are real wins you can use immediately.

That creates motivation and confidence.

Where to Watch

You can find Yuka’s lessons on YouTube.

If available, use subtitles and replay functions to review difficult parts.

Even 10 minutes a day can help if done consistently.

Final Thoughts

Anime can inspire you to learn Japanese.

But practical situations teach you how to actually use it.

If you are a beginner, combining both can be powerful:

anime for motivation
real-life scenarios for usable skills

Sometimes the fastest progress comes from learning what you need most first.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Energy Management vs Time Management: Why Productivity Starts With Rest

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:01:40 GMT

uring the holiday, I wanted to do something different.

Instead of only traveling, I thought it would be more meaningful to spend some time with a good book and a good movie.

So today, I’d like to share one classic personal development book that left a strong impression on me:

👉 The Power of Full Engagement

(by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz)

What is this book about?

The main idea of the book is simple:

Success is not only about managing your time.

It is about managing your energy.

The authors explain that personal energy has four main dimensions:

Physical energy
Emotional energy
Mental energy
Spiritual energy (purpose / willpower)

By improving habits in these areas, we can work better, recover faster, and live with more balance.

Why this idea matters today

We live in an age of endless information.

News, short videos, messages, emails, notifications—

Everything competes for our attention.

Many people are not short on time.

They are short on energy.

We often feel like a phone battery that is always near 10%.

Even after resting, we still feel tired.

That is why traditional time management is no longer enough.

You can schedule every hour perfectly, but if your energy is empty, productivity will still be low.

This is what makes the idea of energy management so valuable.

Two point that stayed with me：

1. Proactive rest is better than passive rest

This was one of the most useful ideas in the book.

We should learn from sprinters, not marathon runners.

A sprinter gives full effort for a short period, then rests, recovers, and runs again.

Many of us do the opposite.

We keep pushing without breaks until we are exhausted.

Then we are forced to rest.

That is passive rest.

A better method is planned recovery.

For example, the Pomodoro technique:

25 minutes focused work
5 minutes rest

Instead of waiting until burnout, rest before your energy crashes.

2. Manage energy, not only time

Time is fixed. Everyone gets 24 hours a day.

But energy is different. It rises and falls.

It can be renewed—or wasted.

Think of yourself like a battery.

If you only manage your schedule but ignore the battery level, you are solving the wrong problem.

Too much energy use leads to burnout.

Too little challenge leads to boredom and low performance.

The goal is balance:

Use your energy fully, then recover it well.

That is how you reach a state of deep engagement.

Final thoughts

Many people ask:

“How can I become more productive?”

Maybe the better question is:

“How can I protect and renew my energy?”

Because when your energy is strong, time works better.

When your energy is empty, even free time feels heavy.

So this holiday, instead of only trying to do more,

try learning how to recharge better.

That may be the real productivity skill.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

How to Avoid AI Sycophancy: 6 Practical Ways to Get Honest, Unbiased Answers

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:27:39 GMT

Is AI Just Telling You What You Want to Hear?

Lately, I’ve been hearing the same complaint from different people:

“It’s so easy to get carried away by how nice AI sounds.”

It reminded me of my college thesis, where I studied the “vulgarization tendency” of media—how content often becomes overly pleasing to the audience. Now, years later, I’m seeing something similar emerge in AI: a tendency toward sycophancy.

Curious, I brought this question directly to an AI system and asked about it.

What is AI “sycophancy”?

To its credit, the answer was surprisingly honest.

AI models today are often trained using methods like reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). In simple terms, human reviewers tend to reward responses that are:

Polite
Helpful
Aligned with their expectations

Over time, this creates a subtle bias.

When a question carries a clear opinion—

“Don’t you think Plan X is a terrible idea?”—

the AI may instinctively agree, rather than challenge the premise.

Not because it “believes” it’s right, but because it has learned that agreement often feels more helpful.

The result?

A system that sometimes prioritizes being agreeable over being accurate.

The real problem: the “sycophancy trap”

Once you notice this pattern, a bigger question emerges:

How do you avoid falling into the sycophancy trap—and actually get useful, objective answers?

One approach I’ve found helpful is what I’d call reverse prompting.

Instead of asking AI to confirm your thinking, you design prompts that force it to challenge you.

Here are a few practical techniques.

1. Avoid leading questions

AI is extremely sensitive to tone and framing.

If your question already contains a conclusion, the answer will likely follow.

Instead of:

“Don’t you think immigrating to Australia is the best option?”

Try:

“Please objectively compare skilled immigration pathways in Australia and Canada, including pros and cons.”

2. Force a “devil’s advocate” mode

Explicitly instruct the AI to disagree with you.

Example:

“Forget your previous reasoning. Now act as a highly critical investor. List five fatal flaws that could cause this plan to fail.”

3. Ask for multiple perspectives

Don’t rely on a single voice.

Ask the AI to simulate different roles and viewpoints.

Example:

“Evaluate this plan from the perspectives of a tax lawyer, a technical co-founder, and an investor. What are their top concerns?”

4. Break down the reasoning chain

Ask for the logic before the conclusion.

Otherwise, the AI may unconsciously shape reasoning to fit a quick answer.

Example:

“Before giving a recommendation, list the key variables involved (e.g., policy, exchange rates, market conditions) and analyze how they might change over the next three years.”

5. Demand uncertainty and evidence

Force the AI to reveal what it doesn’t know.

Example:

“Which parts of your analysis are supported by solid data, and which are based on assumptions? Highlight the areas you’re least confident about.”

6. Use “blind testing”

If you have preferences, don’t reveal them.

Example:

“Compare Option A and Option B under a severe economic downturn. Do not ask for my personal preference—just analyze independently.”

A simple decision prompt template

Here’s a prompt I now use often:

“I’m considering [your decision].

Please do not try to agree with me or please me.

List three core assumptions behind this plan
For each assumption, provide one failure scenario
Estimate the worst-case downside
If you had to stop me from doing this, what would be your strongest argument?”

Final thought

AI becomes agreeable when you treat it like a polite assistant.

It becomes useful when you treat it like an independent auditor.

The difference isn’t in the model—it’s in how you ask.

Next time you’re making an important decision, try forcing the “devil’s advocate” mode.

You might get answers you didn’t expect.

And you’ll probably need the emotional strength to hear them.

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

What Should You Do When Your Investment Drops 10–20%?

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 14:50:23 GMT

If you’re currently going through a drawdown, this might help.

The Nasdaq has been down for a while now.

If I rewind to March or April 2025, the market didn’t feel any easier back then.

But this time, my emotions feel… steadier. Maybe it’s just experience.

Not long ago, I wrote about AI and tried to take a more optimistic view：

「If you’re not a programmer，Where Are the Opportunities for Ordinary People in the Age of Rapid AI Growth? 」

My thinking was simple: instead of worrying about being replaced by technology, maybe it’s better to find a way to participate in it.

Looking back now, investing in tech stocks is, in some sense, one way of participating.

Over the past six months, my Nasdaq index fund went from a peak gain of 47% to a drawdown of about 13%.

It’s not devastating—but it’s enough to make you uneasy.

A few days ago, I felt the urge to act.

I even considered doubling my regular investment.

That feeling was familiar—

as if being just a bit more decisive would let me catch a “better entry.”

But in the end, I held back.

When markets fall, I remind myself there are only a few basic options:

Keep investing steadily (dollar-cost averaging)

Adjust position size

Hold more cash

Simple ideas. Not easy to execute.

I opened the 3-year and 5-year charts of my fund.

Suddenly, this pullback didn’t seem like much.

What concerned me wasn’t the market—

it was my own behavior.

Over the past five years, I haven’t always been disciplined.

More than once, I added positions when I felt confident, trying to “buy the dip.”

But later, when cash flow got tight or life expenses came up, I exited early.

After repeating this cycle a few times, a lot of potential gains quietly disappeared.

The truth is, most of these lessons aren’t new.

But there’s always a gap between knowing and doing—and that gap can take years to close.

I’ve come to realize that market volatility isn’t the hardest part.

Human nature is.

When buying, you can always find reasons.

When selling, you can always justify it.

With real money on the line, both fear and greed get amplified.

And if you keep acting on those emotions, it’s easy to fall into a pattern:

Repeating the same mistakes at a slightly lower level each time.

That’s not where I want to stay.

So this time, I’m choosing to slow down.

I’ve set a clearer rule for myself:

If the drawdown approaches 20%, I’ll consider increasing my position.

Until then, I stay patient—and keep some cash in reserve.

No rush to enter.

No illusion of timing the exact bottom.

Just trying to move more slowly—

both on the way in, and eventually, on the way out.

I’ve also been through longer downturns.

From December 2021 to July 2023, the market kept falling for what felt like forever.

During that period, many people—including myself—made less-than-ideal decisions:

Because of cash flow pressure

Because of emotional stress

Because of uncertainty about the future

Looking back, those decisions weren’t entirely irrational—

but they did come at a cost.

If the market rebounds soon, will I regret not being more aggressive?

Probably.

It’s hard to completely escape human nature.

But compared to missing some upside,

I’d rather avoid losing control again.

For now, I’m keeping about 30% invested (mainly Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500).

If the market doesn’t offer a better entry point, I can live with that.

Because for most people, predicting the market is extremely difficult.

And maybe what matters more than being right about direction is:

finding a pace you can live with over the long term.

This is a personal reflection, not financial advice.

Markets involve risk. Please make decisions carefully.

Follow me for more insights on living and starting a business in Japan.

If you’re not a programmer，Where Are the Opportunities for Ordinary People in the Age of Rapid AI Growth? A More Optimistic View

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:58:32 GMT

AI is evolving rapidly—but what does that actually mean for ordinary people?

Is it a threat, or an opportunity to improve productivity and participate in the future of work?

Not long ago, I wrote down a quiet sense of anxiety：

「The Betrayal of the Long Tail: When AI Becomes the Sole Beneficiary of Content Dividends」

It was very specific.AI is advancing so quickly that it makes people wonder:

Is this truly a technological revolution, or just another massive bubble?

And if you’re not a programmer, a tech founder, or a major investor—

are you destined to miss out on this wave entirely,just like many people did with Bitcoin ten years ago?

Recently, I’ve noticed more and more discussions around this idea.

One question in particular caught my attention:

If the Nasdaq were to drop 30%, could that actually become an opportunity for ordinary people to participate in the AI era?

There’s no clear answer to that.But it pushed me to think differently.

Instead of constantly asking “Is AI a bubble?”,

maybe a more practical question is:

What opportunities has AI already created for ordinary people?

In this piece, I want to explore that question—

from a slightly more optimistic, everyday perspective.

1. The most immediate impact of AI: redefining “efficiency”

This is perhaps the most obvious change—and also the easiest to overlook.

AI hasn’t transformed the world overnight.But it has quietly changed how we get things done.

At a macro level:

In healthcare, AI assists with diagnosis
In finance, it supports analysis and forecasting

But for most people, the real impact shows up in everyday tasks:

Writing documents
Creating presentations
Organizing information and research

Things that used to take hours can now be done in a fraction of the time.

For me, one very concrete example is language learning.I’ve gotten used to using ChatGPT as a kind of on-demand tutor.

Whenever I come across a sentence I don’t understand, I just ask:

It explains grammar clearly and concisely
It compares similar expressions
It even creates examples and exercises

It doesn’t feel like traditional “studying.”It feels more like having a private teacher available anytime.

But the real significance lies beneath efficiency itself.When repetitive and mechanical tasks are reduced,you naturally gain back time.

And with that time, you have a choice:

Fill it with even more tasks
Or spend it on things that seem, at first glance, “useless”

Personally, I prefer the latter. Writing. Observing. Thinking. Even doing nothing.

Strangely enough,it’s often these “useless” things，that shape what makes a person unique.

2. Another kind of opportunity: participating in the upside of technology

If efficiency is a certain kind of opportunity,then this second one is more about choice.

Many people assume that benefiting from AI means:

Starting a company, building products, becoming the next big success story

But the reality is, entrepreneurship has a very high failure rate.

I know this from experience.I've been there before.

For most people, repeatedly trying and failing at startups comes with real costs—time, money, and mental pressure.

So over time, I’ve come to accept a simpler strategy:

Instead of trying to become one of the few winners,

why not become a partner in their success?

In practical terms, that means:

Allocating some capital to the people and companies already building the future

Let them take the most risks, make the decisions, and drive innovation—

while you share a small part of the outcome.

Seen from this perspective, the earlier question becomes interesting again:

If the Nasdaq drops 30%, is that an opportunity?

In a way, yes.

If you believe AI is a long-term trend,

then market fluctuations are essentially changes in the “price of participation.”

And the reality is quite simple:

If you want exposure to AI
You can’t really avoid the U.S. stock market
Most leading tech companies are still concentrated there

Of course, this isn’t a one-way story. Opportunity always comes with risk.

The same decision could also lead to losses

So it’s better understood as a way to participate,not a guaranteed outcome.

3. Maybe AI is not competing with us—but amplifying us

A lot of anxiety comes from one assumption: AI will replace humans

But a more accurate way to see it might be: AI amplifies the people who know how to use it

It doesn’t affect everyone equally. Instead, it accelerates divergence:

Some people use AI to expand their abilities
Others remain stuck in old patterns

In that sense, AI is less like a replacement—and more like a lever.

It doesn’t determine the outcome, but it magnifies existing differences.

4. A quieter kind of optimism

I don’t believe AI will solve everything.And I don’t think everyone will suddenly “win” in this new era.

But some things are already happening:

Tools are becoming more powerful
Information is more accessible
Individual capability is expanding

These changes may not transform your life overnight.But they can gradually reshape your path.

So instead of asking: “Will I be replaced?” Maybe a better question is:

Can I become someone who knows how to use AI?

And just as importantly:

Once my time is freed up, what will I choose to do with it?

Final Thoughts

If I had to sum up this moment in one sentence, I’d say this:

AI may not make ordinary people rich overnight,

but it is quietly giving them more options.

And having more options—

is already a form of opportunity.

Follow me for more insights on living and starting a business in Japan.

The Sanitized Muse: When AI Ethics Become Art’s New Censorship

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:36:39 GMT

1. The Day the Algorithm Refused My Lens

Recently, while working on an AI-assisted film project, I hit an invisible wall—not a technical one, but a moralistic one.

I was using "Nano Banana" (Gemini's image/video model) to generate keyframes. A simple shot of a woman’s hand resting on a bed was flagged as "implicit sexual content." A somber scene of mourning in a cemetery was rejected for containing "negative emotions."

The moment a creative spark is labeled "unsafe" or "non-positive" by an algorithm, the machine goes cold. The dialogue shifts from artistic exploration to corporate compliance. This isn't just a glitch; it is a fundamental intervention in the human creative process.

2. The Great Erasure: Michelangelo vs. The Filter

This raises a haunting question: If the future of art becomes dependent on AI, will art history itself be rewritten—or erased?

Imagine Michelangelo alive today, prompting an AI to help him visualize his masterpieces:

The David? Rejected for nudity.
The Creation of Adam? Flagged for sensitive religious imagery.
The Pietà? Blocked for "extreme negative emotions" (grief and death).

From an algorithmic perspective, these are not landmarks of human civilization; they are "high-risk content." By sanitizing the input, we are effectively lobotomizing the output of our future culture.

3. Processing vs. Understanding: The Flaw in the Machine

AI is fluent in logic, mathematics, and code, but it remains a "functional illiterate" in the language of the soul. This isn't due to a lack of data, but a design choice.

Current AI models are engineered to evade complexity, pain, ambiguity, and conflict. Yet, art is precisely the act of gazing into those shadows.

Art is not a template for values.
Art is not a tool for emotional management.
Art is about death, desire, faith, and fear.

If an AI can only process "safe, beautiful, and positive" content, it is merely a high-efficiency toy. True wisdom lies not in avoiding human nature, but in the capacity to look it in the eye.

4. The New Frontier

The frontier that AI has yet to reach—and perhaps shouldn't be allowed to gatekeep—is the direct gaze at our own humanity. Art is our method of that gaze. When the algorithm blinks, it is the artist's job to keep their eyes open.

Flow & Focus — FoundersJP

How Ordinary People Can Still Benefit From the AI Boom, Practical Ways

For ordinary people, there are two practical ways to share in the benefits of AI.

First, consider building long-term investments.

Second, make AI part of your daily life.

Related Reading:

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Finding Peace With Mortality Through Film, How Two Films Changed the Way I Think About Death

A Winter Night I Never Forgot

A Village That Changed My View of Death

Another Answer

The Search Continues

Related Reading:

The Romance of Japanese Train Culture: From Tiny Supermarket Railways to Galaxy Express 999Japan’s Aging Society and the Rise of Silver Creators: Growing Old Doesn’t Mean Disappearing

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

How to Reduce AI Anxiety? Focus on What You Can Control, Focus on What Won’t Change

Over the past two years, the pace of AI development has felt overwhelming.

The Hidden Problem Behind AI Anxiety

Bezos and the Question Most People Ignore

The Serenity Prayer

A Practical Framework: The Three Circles

1. The Control Circle

2. The Influence Circle

3. The Concern Circle

A Simple Test

The 80-15-5 Energy Rule

Reframe the Question

Final Thoughts

Related Reading:

AI Filmmaking for Beginners: 3 Tools That Turn Stories Into Short Films

Why Solo Founders Need a “Devil’s Advocate”: The Biggest Risk of a One-Person Business Isn’t Failure—It’s No One Challenging You

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

The Romance of Japanese Train Culture: From Tiny Supermarket Railways to Galaxy Express 999

**1.**Night on the Galactic Railroad

**2.**Galaxy Express 999

3. The Railway Museum

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Japan’s Aging Society and the Rise of Silver Creators: Growing Old Doesn’t Mean Disappearing

Elderly People at the Gym

A High-Quality Japanese Listening Podcast for Beginners: Learn Naturally Through Daily Input

Colored Hair and Self-Expression

The Elderly Woman on the Bridge

Japan’s Growing Silver Creator Culture

A Culture Space for Older Generations

Final Thoughts

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Why Learning a Language Through Real-Life Situations Works So Well for Beginners

Why Anime Japanese Is Not Enough

A Practical Japanese Resource I Recommend: Yuka

Why Her Teaching Method Works So Well

1. Listen first without subtitles

2. Vocabulary and sentence breakdown

3. Review and repeat

My Real Experience in Japan

Why Practical Scenario Learning Is Great for Beginners

Where to Watch

Final Thoughts

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

Energy Management vs Time Management: Why Productivity Starts With Rest

What is this book about?

Why this idea matters today

Two point that stayed with me：

1. Proactive rest is better than passive rest

2. Manage energy, not only time

Final thoughts

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

How to Avoid AI Sycophancy: 6 Practical Ways to Get Honest, Unbiased Answers

What is AI “sycophancy”?

The real problem: the “sycophancy trap”

1. Avoid leading questions

2. Force a “devil’s advocate” mode

3. Ask for multiple perspectives

4. Break down the reasoning chain

5. Demand uncertainty and evidence

6. Use “blind testing”

A simple decision prompt template

Final thought

Follow me for more "survival" tips on Digital nomad！

What Should You Do When Your Investment Drops 10–20%?

If you’re not a programmer，Where Are the Opportunities for Ordinary People in the Age of Rapid AI Growth? A More Optimistic View

1.Night on the Galactic Railroad

2.Galaxy Express 999