Pursuit of excellence

At 85, Jiro Ono is a sushi master.
He and his sons work with raw fish.
Sushi fans will appreciate this fully.

Jiro is the subject of a new documentary movie:
“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”.
Jiro not only dreams of sushi.
He drives himself to make it memorable.
His tiny 10-seat restaurant is in a Tokyo subway station.
It’s become a sushi gastronomic shrine.
Michelin Guide editors gave it their top rating.

Making better sushi is all Jiro ever wanted to do.
He is driven and merciless on himself.
His passion drives his two sons.
Eldest son Yoshikazu works with him at his restaurant.
Younger son Takashi has his own restaurant.
He opened it with his father’s blessing.
Failure is not an option, his father warned.

Jiro’s success, he insists, is no secret.
He is dedicated to an abstract idea.
“Each ingredient has an ideal moment of deliciousness.”
It guides his choices of fish and rice vendors.
They, too, must pursue excellence.
Excellence permits his astronomical prices.
Patrons often book seats a year in advance.

Jiro does not want to expand his restaurant.
He knows that his success depends on:
1. The drive that has produced excellence.
2. The scarcity of only 10 seats.
3. The exclusivity of being hard to find.

Jiro has been willing to pay the price of excellence.
Our challenge: To be willing to pay a price, too.
For more on that, see my new book.
“What It Costs to Be the Boss”
Email me for a free sampler of the book.

Leaving a legacy

First responders carry Father Mychal Judge’s body.
He was one of the first victims of the 9-11 attack.


Where were you at 8:48 a.m. ET Sept. 11, 2001?
Most of us will always remember that moment.
Our feelings. Where we were. What we thought.
But think about this: What if you are 12 or younger?
What would you remember about 9-11??
You aren’t old enough to remember the horror.
Sure, you will have seen photos. Know what it was about.
It is up to us to teach our younger generations about it.
To teach them the lessons 9-11 taught us.
About terrorism. About courage. About our people.
I recently spent a day with 96 WWII vets in Washington.
We had flown there to visit the WWII Memorial.
The Korean and Vietnam War Memorials.
Arlington and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
We had done it to honor them for their roles in WWII.

These men and women are modest about their sacrifices.
I’m old enough to remember the horror of Pearl Harbor.
I was only a child. But most of you probably don’t.
But you know what it was about. How it rallied us.
Awoke a sleeping giant. Saved the world from tyranny.
We should never forget Pearl Harbor. Or 9-11.
They are not just history. They tested our resolve.
Make sure we leave this legacy to our children.
Not just the horror. But the bravery and the courage.
The first responders who ran toward the towers to help.
The ones who went forward as everyone else fled.
The ones who gave their lives to save others.
Will we go forward when it’s the right way?
To make our own sacrifices when we need to?
That can be our legacy to future generations.

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