In life, there are things we can control and things we cannot.
Yet people often tend to wish that others—or even the world itself—would change, rather than changing themselves.

For example, when something doesn’t sell, it’s easier to blame customers or the economy than to reflect on one’s own approach.
But in reality, neither other people nor the world changes easily.

In 2020, Major League Baseball shortened its season to just 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Players had to adapt to numerous restrictions, from training routines to in-game behavior. Even in 2021, the uncertainty continued.

Ohtani, however, refused to let these uncontrollable circumstances affect his mindset.

“There’s nothing I can do alone to eliminate the coronavirus,” he said.
“So I don’t spend my energy worrying about it.”

At the core of his thinking is a simple principle:
You can’t control others, but you can influence how they perceive you through your own actions.

Whether it’s behavior, language, or appearance, small personal choices can gradually shape how others see you.
Even in games without spectators, Ohtani believed that playing with full effort could still move fans watching from afar.

Rather than dwelling on what he cannot change,
he chooses to focus entirely on what he can.

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.146