There is a saying:

“People who achieve results understand that time is a constraint.”

Because time is limited, how you use it ultimately determines the difference in outcomes.

Shohei Ohtani has been known for his dedication since his days with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters—he would even train on Christmas.

He rarely eats out and doesn’t spend time going out drinking.

In other words, almost all of his time outside of games is devoted to training and recovery, including sleep.

He truly lives a life immersed in baseball.

And yet—even that is not enough.

In 2017, when he was asked what he wanted for Christmas, his answer was:

“I want one more month of time.”

Years later, in 2023, when he was asked if he now felt he had enough time, he replied:

“In the short term, I have enough time.

But in terms of improving myself,

I wish I had another full year before Opening Day.”

Many people say they want more time.

But usually, it’s because they are too busy with work, or because they lack time to rest or enjoy themselves.

Ohtani is different.

He already dedicates nearly all of his available time to baseball—

and still wishes for more time to devote to it.

That is how completely he lives for the game.

Source

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

Number 1069, p.12