In many sports—and in any field that requires constant training—there is a saying:

“If you skip practice for one day, it takes three days to make up for it.”

The message behind the phrase is clear: consistency matters.

Yet maintaining that level of discipline every single day is far from easy.

Shohei Ohtani, however, has long been known for structuring his life almost entirely around baseball. Even today, much of his daily schedule revolves around games, training, and sleep.

This approach was already evident during his time with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Teammates and staff often noted that Ohtani rarely skipped training—not even during holidays. Christmas and New Year’s Day were no exception.

A well-known example came during the Fighters’ championship trip after winning the 2016 Japan Series.

The team traveled to Hawaii to celebrate the title. For Ohtani, it was his first time visiting the islands. Like any 22-year-old experiencing Hawaii for the first time, he enjoyed the vacation—trying marine sports such as banana boat rides and snorkeling.

But the next day, when the team had planned another full day of ocean activities, Ohtani made a different choice.

He joined the group in the morning, but cut the day short.

The afternoon was reserved for training.

With the World Baseball Classic approaching the following spring, he felt it was important to begin preparation early.

Wherever he was—whether at home, on the road, or even on vacation—Ohtani kept the same principle.

Do what needs to be done.

As he put it simply:

“I think about many things, and I do what needs to be done. I have the environment to do it, so I simply do what I can.”

It was not about dramatic motivation.

Just quiet consistency.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Following Shohei Ohtani: A Beat Reporter’s 10-Year Chronicle, p.120