In business, there is a common saying: Work requires conviction.
When people act only because they were told to — without understanding why — the results often suffer. And when failure comes, it is easy to shift the blame: I was just following orders.
Growth does not happen that way.
The same is true in sports.
Athletes are often given training menus without explanation. If someone asks, “Why are we doing this?” the response can sometimes be, “Just do it.”
Shohei Ohtani does not operate that way.
Because he knows he can push himself hardest when he chooses something for himself, he places enormous importance on understanding purpose.
“There’s a big difference between being made to follow a routine and truly understanding how the training connects to results. I’ve always made sure I understood that.”
For Ohtani, training is not about obedience.
It is about alignment.
When he understands how a specific workout improves bat speed, stability, recovery, or mechanics, effort becomes intentional. And intentional effort compounds differently than forced repetition.
Understanding turns activity into investment.
And investment produces return.
Source
This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.
Opening a Path, Crossing the Ocean: The True Story of Shohei Ohtani, p.292