Never give up, and you will find a way

Mr. Obata says that only people who are persistent can acquire the necessary skills.

"If you do not succeed today, you have to give it another go tomorrow. There is no other way. When I was still a novice, there were times when I thought, 'just this last spot to file and then I'm done,' but then I filed off too much. This was not my finest hour, and I wasted several days of work. It takes a person who will doggedly pursue the same activity until he can do it. You must believe that you will be able to do it some day so long as you don't give up."

He also says that improving one's technique means developing one's own style. "Judgment in workmanship is acquired through repetition. Once you have acquired a certain level of judgment, then you can start to express your own style. In other words, actively incorporating your own way of doing things and your own notions will improve your technique."

Mr. Obata says that he learned to incorporate his own style from the more experienced technicians around him when learning techniques. "Now," he says, "it is my turn to teach my successors."