A research team from the University of Nebraska and other institutions investigated the common traits of resilient people. This was a large-scale survey summarizing 51 studies involving 12,567 participants.
They were looking at the difference between those who possess "Psychological Capital" and those who do not.
The results were clear.
People with high psychological capital experienced less stress, lower turnover rates, and significantly higher performance.
This isn't just my opinion.
It is the result produced by research teams from the University of Nebraska and Claremont Graduate University.
Have you ever wondered how Hiroiki Ariyoshi spent his 8 years of obscurity?
- He broke through with the duo Sarugan Seki.
- However, after they disbanded, he had almost zero work.
- His monthly income dropped from 20 million yen to zero in some months.
- Despite this, he made a massive comeback 8 years later with his "poison-tongued" character.
Imagine it.
A phone that never rings.
Even when you turn on the TV, your name never appears.
That daily life continued for 8 years.
Many people probably think, "He just gritted his teeth and endured it."
But for this article, I want you to doubt that for a moment.
I'll write the conclusion first.
He wasn't just enduring.
He was stacking up 5 specific actions.
I am not an associate or an expert on Hiroiki Ariyoshi. What is written here is based only on his publicly disclosed statements and research data.
[Contents of this article]
1. He stopped before his savings ran out
2. He never let small jobs dry up
3. He didn't bottle it up; he relied on people he could trust
4. He never stopped posting, even if no one was watching
5. He kept his weapon ready and waited for the right timing to use it
- Why "just enduring" is a mistake
- 5 common patterns people fall into during their low periods
By reading this article, you will be able to do three things:
- Understand what to do during a period of obscurity
- Have actions that prevent you from breaking under adversity at your fingertips
- Identify which stage you are currently in
By the time you finish reading, you won't be able to dismiss it as just "having to endure."
Before we get to the main topic, one announcement.
I am giving away 34 major benefits for side hustle beginners and inexperienced individuals.
These are compiled into a format that allows even those with no experience to take action. You can receive them from this link:
The article itself can be read for free until the end.
Now, let's get to the main topic.
1. He stopped before his savings ran out
First, let's look at the numbers from Ariyoshi's low period. Sarugan Seki disbanded in March 2004. At his peak, his monthly income was about 20 million yen. After the breakup, it was 70,000 to 80,000 yen, with some months being zero.
Here, there is a crucial action.
During his peak, Ariyoshi didn't spend all the money he earned; he had saved up to 70 million yen. After taxes, he had about 40 million yen, which he gradually withdrew over 8 years. By the end of those 8 years, it had reportedly decreased to a few million yen.
He didn't use it all up. He took 8 years to use it.
Why does this work?
There is a famous study investigating the relationship between poverty and cognitive function. It was a survey of 464 sugarcane farmers in India. They compared the cognitive test results of the same individuals before harvest (when they had no money) and after harvest (when they had money).
The results were significantly better after the harvest.
In another experiment, simply making people think about financial worries caused a drop in judgment equivalent to 13 IQ points. That's the same level of decline as staying up all night.
In other words, it means this:
When money truly hits zero, people can only make short-term decisions.
By spending his savings over 8 years, Ariyoshi was postponing the situation where he would be forced into short-term thinking.
This isn't a story about "he's great because he had savings." It's a story about how he managed the pace at which his savings decreased.
When you can only make short-term decisions, it specifically looks like this:
You can only think about next month's rent, and you immediately say yes to jobs with poor conditions. You start choosing immediate cash over a long-term career.
This is exactly the state Ariyoshi was avoiding.
However, I want to be precise here.
The amount of 70 million yen is a unique circumstance for Ariyoshi. Few people can save that much. The important thing is not the amount. It's the mindset of "managing before it runs out."
There's one more thing I want to state accurately. In Ariyoshi's time, it was normal to hold assets in cash. But now, fewer people hold only cash. Many people hold diversified assets like investment trusts, stocks, and cryptocurrencies.
Therefore, what you should look at is not just "savings," but the total "asset value" combining cash and investments. Even if cash is low, if assets are allocated to investments, a "runway" still exists. Conversely, panicking by looking only at cash and thinking "I'm at my limit" is a recipe for making wrong decisions.
▶️ What you can do starting today
❶ Divide your assets into three and calculate your defense line
Looking at the total amount alone is meaningless. Divide them into three based on the time it takes to liquefy them.
- Immediate: Cash, savings accounts
- A few days: Stocks, investment trusts
- Takes time: Real estate, defined contribution pensions Standard: (Immediate + Few days) ÷ Minimum monthly living expenses. If it's under 6 months, think of your next move immediately. Don't count assets that take time in your defense line.
❷ Decide the "order" of withdrawal before prices drop
If you haven't decided the order, this happens: You panic and sell investment trusts while they are losing value. That's the most disadvantageous way to withdraw. Cash → Assets with unrealized gains → Assets with unrealized losses. Write this order down once on paper. You won't hesitate when things go down.
❸ Start moving to add one income source before assets drop by half
Moving when you are at zero versus moving when you are at half results in completely different quality of judgment. Ariyoshi's appearances on local stations fall into this category. List one candidate within this week.
I will write the continuation of this in the next chapter.
People who manage their money before it's gone can maintain their judgment.
2. He never let small jobs dry up
During his low period, Ariyoshi had almost no national-level work. However, he continued appearing on local stations in Hiroshima. The scale was small. The impact on his fame was small. Even so, he never let them go.
Psychological research supports this.
A research team from Harvard Business School surveyed 238 people across 26 teams in 7 companies. They analyzed over 12,000 diary entries. They were looking at when "motivation for work" was at its highest.
The result was not "big achievements."
The days when people could feel "small progress" were when motivation and creativity were highest. Conversely, on days with zero progress, motivation itself was prone to collapsing.
Small progress supports motivation.
Ariyoshi's local station appearances were "progress too small to be seen" by the public. But for him, it was the very definition of progress: "Work is not zero."
If a state of zero progress continues, it becomes difficult even to maintain motivation. That's why there was meaning in continuing, regardless of the scale.
The day after feeling small progress, the hurdle for taking the next step drops slightly. Conversely, if zero-progress days continue, the hurdle for the next step rises day by day. The fact that his blog content became fictional might have been a reflection of this sense of stagnation.
However, I want to be precise here too.
Continuing small jobs didn't mean he could return to national TV just because of that. The catalyst was his appearance on "Uchimura Produce." What the small jobs supported was the "sense of progress" until he reached that point.
▶️ What you can do starting today
❶ Recall one story you turned down because "it was too small"
If you judge by scale or reward, most stories end with "it's too small." Ariyoshi's local appearances were also "small jobs" in anyone's eyes at the time. Next time a similar offer comes, judge it only by whether you can "continue" it, not by its scale. It's more realistic to lower this hurdle by one step than to look for a giant leap.
❷ Keep a "Progress Log" in a dedicated one-line memo
You forget many instances of progress if you only reflect once a week. Write just one line of "Date + One thing that progressed today" within that day.
Standard: Count the days you recorded at the end of the month. If it's under 15 days, review the system itself.
❸ Prepare three "5-minute progress" tasks
You can't move if you try to think of something on the spot on a zero-progress day. One email. One page of a document. Re-reading past materials. Write these three down in advance.
Standard: If zero-progress days continue for three days, pick just one from this list and execute it.
Small progress becomes the foundation for the "people you can rely on" in the next chapter.
Rather than big results, the fact that small progress never stopped was what worked.
3. He didn't bottle it up; he relied on people he could trust
During his low period, Ariyoshi was not economically self-sufficient. He was reportedly taken care of for meals and other needs by Ryuhei Ueshima of the Dachou Club and others. He didn't bottle it up; he relied on people he could rely on.
There is a classic study in social psychology called the "Buffering Hypothesis of Social Support." It's a representative study in this field published in an academic journal. The content is as follows:
Even if the cause of stress is the same for different people, the burden on the heart changes completely depending on whether there are people around you can rely on. People with someone to rely on experienced smaller physical and mental impacts even when facing the same stress.
"Relying" is not weakness.
Many people tend to think this way: "Relying on others is proof that I can't solve it myself." But research shows the opposite. Having people you can rely on acts as a "buffer" against stress.
Ariyoshi relying on Ueshima and others wasn't because he was weak. It was because he properly had a buffer.
Even in the same "no work" situation, someone with a person to listen to them has the mental capacity left to think about the next step. Someone who bottles it up without telling anyone will have a narrower perspective in the same situation. Next moves become harder to come by.
However, I will also write about the limits here.
The person you rely on shouldn't be just anyone. The condition is that they must be someone who listens without criticizing. If you rely on someone who pushes you even further when you are already cornered, it will have the opposite effect.
▶️ What you can do starting today
❶ Narrow down "people you can rely on" using all three conditions
If you choose only by "ease of talking," you often miss the mark.
- They don't negate you
- There is little conflict of interest
- A reply comes within the day Name three people who meet all three criteria. Standard: Someone missing even one is weak as a buffer.
❷ Prepare a phrase to convey "I'm in trouble" in three stages
Serious consultation out of the blue makes the other person defensive.
- Light: "Things have been a bit tough lately"
- Medium: "There's something I want to consult with you about"
- Heavy: "To be honest, it's hard right now" Create these three stages in advance. Standard: Use a light-stage phrase once before you are cornered.
❸ Decide to reply within 24 hours if you are relied upon
A buffer doesn't last if it's a one-way street. Even if there's no content, just "Saw it. I'll get back to you this week" is fine.
Standard: If you can't do this, it will be harder for you to rely on them next time.
This also leads to the "posting" in the next chapter.
Having people you can rely on acted as a buffer for the heart.
4. He never stopped posting, even if no one was watching
During his low period, Ariyoshi was home almost every day. Even so, he continued updating his blog. To be honest, the content he wrote reportedly contained many fictional stories. Even without facts, he didn't stop updating.
Creativity research explains this behavior.
There is a researcher at the University of California, Davis, known for creativity research. It's the concept of the "Equal Odds Rule." The probability of being able to create high-quality work increases for those who continue to put out volume. It's not that they hit because they are geniuses; it's that by continuing to put out many works, the number of hits also increased.
The meaning of posts that aren't being watched.
What's important here is the meaning of "posts that aren't being watched." Even if few people are reading the blog, by continuing to write, the way of putting out words and timing is trained. When he made his comeback with the poison-tongued character, his sense of words wasn't born suddenly. There was a period during his low years where he had put in the volume.
The true value of posts that aren't being watched is that you can try out word habits and timing without worrying about anyone's evaluation. If you fail, no one is watching. So you can trial-and-error without hesitation.
However, I want to be precise here too.
Putting out volume doesn't necessarily mean quality will rise. The "Equal Odds Rule" is also just a trend seen on average. If you don't review what you wrote and have an awareness of improving even slightly, volume alone won't lead to growth.
▶️ What you can do starting today
❶ Continue one form of posting even if there's no reaction
X, a blog, a diary—anything is fine. Don't make the number of views the reason for continuing. The standard is once a week or more.
❷ Re-read past posts once a month
Don't just put it out and leave it. Spend 10 minutes looking back at what you wrote last month. Check if your phrasing is biased.
❸ Don't make zero reaction a reason to quit
Reaction is something that follows later as a result of putting out volume.
Standard: Decide on a 3-month period to continue without looking at reactions.
The volume you stack up will suddenly become effective at a certain timing. That's the story of the next chapter.
Those who continue to put out volume will gain quality later.
5. He kept his weapon ready and waited for the right timing to use it
Ariyoshi didn't have his poison-tongued character all through his low period. To be precise, even if he had it, he didn't unleash it fully right away. He built a foothold little by little through appearances on "Uchimura Produce," and triggered by a comment on "Ame-talk" in 2007, the evaluation of him as a poison-tongued character changed instantly.
There is a famous experiment regarding memory.
It was a study conducted by psychologist Daniel Kahneman, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics. They targeted 682 patients who underwent colonoscopies. For half the patients, they continued a state of low pain for a little longer at the end of the examination.
The result was counter-intuitive.
The total time of pain was longer for these patients. Even so, these patients remembered that "the examination as a whole wasn't that painful." They were also more positive about the next examination.
Human memory is determined not by the total amount of pain, but by the peak moment and the ending.
Applying this to Ariyoshi's case:
If he had been putting out poison-tongued comments throughout his 8 years of obscurity, he might have ended as just a "noisy person." He kept his weapon and chose the timing to unleash it. By putting it out at a "peak venue" like Ame-talk, it became the moment that stayed in memory.
During his low period, he was testing his weapon in low-risk places. He polished it on his blog and small programs, and only put it out at the moment of truth. This is the reality of preservation.
However, I want to be precise here too.
It's not that you will definitely succeed if you wait for the timing. If you don't have the weapon itself, nothing will happen even if you wait. In Ariyoshi's case, there was a period during his low years where he was steadily polishing his observation skills and word choices. Waiting and preparing come as a set.
▶️ What you can do starting today
❶ Put your "weapon" into words
It can be something you're good at or something you've been praised for. It can be something you haven't used yet. Write one line on paper.
❷ Choose the "venue" to unleash your weapon in advance
You don't put it out anytime, anywhere. The last word in a meeting. The last page of a proposal. Decide in advance on the scene where you will be seen the most.
Standard: Narrow down the scenes to unleash it to at most two.
❸ Prepare the "ending" after unleashing it
Not just the peak, but the ending also stays in memory. "That's all, thank you." It can be a single sentence repeating the conclusion briefly. Prepare it in advance.
Standard: Keep the ending sentence within 10 seconds.
When these three are aligned, you can create a moment that stays in memory.
Memory is determined not by the total hardship, but by the peak and the ending.
"Just enduring" is a mistake
Here, I'll write the opposite. Regarding Ariyoshi's low period, it is sometimes said:
"He was just gritting his teeth and waiting for his time to come."
But that's probably wrong.
Recall the 5 things so far:
- He reduced his savings systematically.
- He consciously continued small jobs.
- He chose people he could rely on himself.
- He continued posting even without reactions.
- He intentionally preserved his weapon.
All of these were his own judgments and actions.
"Enduring" and "acting" are completely different.
"Enduring" is waiting for time to pass without doing anything. "Acting" is continuing to choose the next move within limited conditions. Ariyoshi was doing the latter. If you dismiss it as "he was lucky," all 5 of these become invisible.
In other words, it means this:
The 8 years of obscurity were not a blank period. They were a period of stacking up 5 actions.
While writing, I counted my own "just enduring" moments
I'll be honest. While writing this article, I looked back. What was I doing during the times things weren't going well?
There were times I did nothing, thinking "it will get better eventually."
I didn't calculate my savings, I dismissed small jobs as "meaningless," I didn't contact people I could rely on, and I quit posting because there were no reactions.
Out of the 5, I wasn't doing 4.
So, from here on, I'm also writing for myself.
5 patterns people often fall into during low periods
❶ Stopping at "I'll think about it when I make a comeback"
Action is needed before the comeback. The order is reversed.
❷ Carrying only anxiety without calculating savings
Anxiety won't decrease unless you put out the numbers. If you calculate, you'll know how many more months you can move.
❸ Quitting because "this small job is meaningless"
Small jobs support the sense of progress. If you quit, motivation itself collapses.
❹ Enduring because you think relying on others is a shame
Endurance is the act of throwing away your own buffer. Decide on 3 people you can rely on in advance.
❺ Quitting posting because there's no reaction
Reaction follows after putting out volume. If you seek reaction first, it won't last.
5 situations where the same thing happens
This isn't just a story about low periods.
Looking at the conditions, you can see they all have the same structure.
I want to write this accurately
Let me add some caveats.
❶ This is not an interview with Hiroiki Ariyoshi himself
What is written are his publicly disclosed statements, reports, and related research.
❷ It's not a story that you will definitely make a comeback if you do these 5 things
Luck of the times and help from those around you are also significant. Action increases probability; it is not a guarantee.
❸ It's not exactly the same as your situation
There are circumstances unique to the entertainment industry. Just adopt the parts that apply to you.
Self-Check 10
□ I have calculated how many months my current savings will last
□ I have decided on the "amount I can use" in advance
□ I don't dismiss small jobs or results as meaningless
□ I record things that progressed once a week
□ I can name 3 people I can rely on
□ I put into words what I'm troubled by while I still have leeway
□ I continue posting and acting even without reactions
□ I look back at past posts and results once a month
□ I can put my "weapon" into one sentence
□ I have decided in advance on the scene to unleash my weapon
If you have 7 or more, you have the knowledge. If you have 3 or fewer, no problem. This isn't a difference in grit. It's a difference in whether you know the design of action.
Summary
List of Evidence
- Meta-analysis of Psychological Capital (12,567 people, 51 studies): People with psychological capital have lower stress and higher results.
- Research on poverty and cognitive function (464 Indian sugarcane farmers): Financial worry significantly drops judgment.
- The Progress Principle (238 people, over 12,000 diary entries): Small progress supports motivation and creativity the most.
- Buffering Hypothesis of Social Support: The presence of people to rely on acts as a buffer against stress.
- Equal Odds Rule: People who continue to put out volume are more likely to reach high-quality results.
- Peak-End Rule (682 patients): Memory is determined by the peak and the ending, not the total.
What you can do starting tomorrow
- Calculate how many more months you can move with your current savings.
- Write down the names of 3 people you can rely on.
What to do within 1 month
- Create a system to record small progress 3 or more days a week.
- Continue posting for 1 month without seeking reactions.
Long-term goals
- Put your weapon into words and narrow down the scenes to unleash it to two.
- Stop "just enduring" and replace it with the 5 actions.
Finally
Let's go back to the first scene once more.
A phone that never rings. A name that doesn't appear on TV. What was behind those 8 years?
What the data from 12,567 people showed was that people with "Psychological Capital" are more resilient to adversity.
Hiroiki Ariyoshi's 8 years had the same structure.
He managed his savings.
He continued small jobs.
He relied on people he could rely on.
He didn't stop posting.
He waited for the timing to unleash his weapon.
That was all.
And these 5 things can be used by anyone, even outside the entertainment industry.
Right now, you too might have a weapon you are preserving.
Finally, I want to ask just one thing.
Can you calculate how many more months you can move with your current savings?
If you can't, that's your starting point.
I post daily about things where knowing or not knowing makes a difference. Systems, fixed costs, side hustles. And like today, I write about how to overcome adversity. If you'd like, please follow me on X.
And, one more announcement.
I am giving away 34 major benefits for side hustle beginners and inexperienced individuals.
These are compiled into a format that allows even those with no experience to take action. You can receive them from this link:
References
- Hiroiki Ariyoshi's career, savings of 70 million yen, monthly income 20 million yen → 70,000-80,000 yen, support from Ryuhei Ueshima and others, blog updates (Wikipedia, Bunshun Online, etc.)
- Avey et al. (2011) Meta-analysis of Psychological Capital (12,567 people, 51 studies)
- Mani et al. (2013, Science) Poverty and Cognitive Function (464 Indian sugarcane farmers, drop equivalent to 13 IQ points)
- Amabile & Kramer (Harvard) The Progress Principle (238 people, 26 teams, 7 companies, over 12,000 diary entries)
- Cohen & Wills (1985) Buffering Hypothesis of Social Support
- Simonton (UC Davis) Equal Odds Rule
- Redelmeier, Katz, & Kahneman (2003) Peak-End Rule (682 colonoscopy patients)
*Numbers are based on published values from each analysis and report.
