スクリプトは事前提出されたものですので、ビデオの音声とは異なる場合があります。

“You have to～?” or “You want to～?”

Tateishi Aya (National Institute of Technology, Kagoshima College)

Everyone, do you work every day because you have to? Do you have to study every day because you have to? As for myself, I study and do other things not because I have to, but because I want to. Here is my reason why I do so. About three months ago I read a book written by Asami Kuru, a mental trainer. It is a book of mental training. She introduces several effective ways of thinking and I became interested in one way of thinking from “have to”life into “want to”life. It influenced me much enough to change my way of life completely and I started to lead a more meaningful life. So today I want to share my new way of life with you.

I want all of you to recollect how you led your daily life during your childhood. Here's how mine was like. In kindergarten, I played in the sandbox, ran around and played with my friends whenever I wanted to. In elementary school, studying, and playing with my friends were so exciting that I enjoyed them a lot. Do you know why? Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. In junior high school, I still had interest in studying and playing the flute in the brass band club but I sometimes lost interest in some of them. Maybe because I started to think I had to do them. As soon as I started thinking that way, they started to become boring. After entering the college, everything started to become an obligation. I had to study hard and write many papers to get credits. I had to practice playing the flute in the brass band club. Because my advisor was very strict, he forced me to practice hard. Those days I wasn't fulfilled with my life and most of the time I felt very tired.

Why do people start thinking they have to as they become older? The book I read says, “People come to know better as they grow older. They start thinking they have to on the basis of the social value and others' general opinions, and they give up thinking they want to. When they are forced to think in such a way very often, they tend to forget even what they really want to do.” The book continues, “Your ‘want'is up to you. You don't have to mind others' values and what people think and say. The most important thing is what you want to be and what you want to do. When you understand your desire clearly, you can accomplish your goal.”

Do you have a dream? I had a dream. But I forgot it, leading ‘have to' daily life. Let me tell you about my dream. I want to become an aircraft mechanic. When I was in junior high school, I watched a TV drama in which a woman aircraft mechanic appeared. Since then I have been longing for her job and felt excited to watch an airplane. Why did I enter my college? Of course to become an aircraft mechanic. Just before reading this book, my life was filled with “have to”. Meanwhile, I lost interest and enthusiasm in almost everything and only led a daily routine.

I'm now a third year student. This book changed my way of life completely. I had a chance to reconsider what I want to be and what I want to do again. I'm not going to be forced to do something any more. Even though it is very hard, I want to realize why I should do it and I want to do it of my own free will.

Professors, do you still believe that you have to work hard because your wife may be mad at you if you don't? Students, how about you? Though you are not a child, you can do what you want to. You don't have to be bounded by the“have to”life. Why don't you change your way of thinking? It will make you happier and you can lead a positive and meaningful life and make your dream come true. Don't you think so?