One thing Shohei Ohtani has often mentioned is his sense that “there’s never enough time.”

Since his days with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani’s goal has never been limited to hitting a certain number of home runs or collecting a certain number of hits. Instead, he has aimed to master every aspect of baseball.

Of course, as Ohtani himself admits, only a “baseball god” could truly achieve everything.
Still, he strives to acquire as many skills as possible and to extend his career for as long as he can.

However, the reality is that a professional baseball career is limited.
Even in modern times, when some players compete into their late 40s, most careers last around 20 years at most—and a player’s peak typically spans only five to ten years.

During the 2020 offseason, eight years into his professional career, Ohtani was asked whether he ever felt a sense of urgency.

His answer was clear:

“Since turning pro, I’ve only ever felt like I don’t have enough time.”

While many might advise him not to rush, Ohtani takes the opposite view.
He doesn’t try to suppress that urgency—in fact, he embraces it.

“I don’t try to avoid feeling urgency,” he said.
“I think it’s a good thing.”

Because time is finite, those who have countless things they want to achieve will always feel it slipping away.

That’s why Ohtani believes it’s better to do too much than too little—
and why he continues to devote every possible moment to becoming better at baseball.

Source

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

Baseball Youth II: MLB Edition 2018–2024 – Shohei Ohtani Long Interview, p.141