七転び八起き(Fall down seven times, get up eight) - Japanese proverb

“Nana korobi ya oki” which translated means ‘Fall down seven times, get up eight’.

The proverb speaks to the Japanese concept of resilience and the ‘insistence’ that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you must get up again. Even if you should fall one thousand times, you must keep getting up and trying again.

As the sentiment in the post suggested, ‘there are no quick fixes in life and anything of real worth, will necessarily take much struggle and perseverance. Success does not have to be fast—what’s more important is that one simply does their absolute best and remains persistent’

Closely related to this proverb is another concept that reinforces how to remain resilient. The concept of gambaru is deeply rooted in the Japanese culture and approach to life and means ‘Never Give Up’

‘Gambaru’ expresses the idea of sticking with a task with tenacity until it is completed—of making a persistent effort until success is achieved. It is used often in daily language to encourage others to “do your best” in work, to “fight on!” and “never give up!” during a sporting event or studying for an exam. You do not always have to win, but you must never give up.

“Fall down seven times, get up eight” and “Never Give Up” are really useful mantras for everyone to use when faced with everyday challenges and setbacks.