Have an inspiring dream. Be able to notice the differences. Do not avoid difficulties, even if they follow “like mountain after mountain.” Facing problems is a reason to learn to “fight with real swords.” These and other instructions are the life principles of Konosuke Matsushita. In Japan, his name is pronounced aspirated. Even 21 years after his death, Matsushita-san is still considered by many to be the undisputed management guru and the most influential and inspiring business thinker who ever lived. The founder of the global corporation Panasonic, Matsushita saw the accumulation of wealth not as an end goal or destination, but as a process, a life journey. In the book “Your Path,” Matsushita shares his wisdom and teaches to see the essence of phenomena encountered throughout life. This book is a translation of one of the most important and popular works on management ever published.

Published in Russian for the first time.

When it starts to rain, we open our umbrella with the usual movement. We rarely think about this instinctive gesture. It comes out as if by itself. Our simplest, unconscious reactions are manifestations of the basic laws of interaction of all things in nature. In them fundamental truths are revealed to us, and we receive enormous power. By stopping and looking freely and open-mindedly at the world and at our work, it is in such simple, natural reactions that we will find the path that we ourselves must follow, and the path that our country must follow.

How can we make your country young and dynamic? What about our region? What about the area of the city or the village where we live? Ordinary employees, top managers, students and housewives - every person, no matter what he does, is able to change, shed his old skin and move forward to new horizons. It's time to think seriously and courageously about how to find the path that will lead us to real peace, happiness and prosperity.

From yesterday to today, from today to tomorrow, every day we live is a new world . An inquisitive mind that seeks true freedom never clings to habitual ways of acting and thinking. The discoveries made every second, the gradual growth day by day, invariably leave their mark on us. If our spirit is like a deep river, and our strength is great, prosperity, peace and happiness will inevitably come.

Are we behaving like responsible adults? Have you overestimated yourself? Maybe, underestimated? Do we think seriously about how to govern ourselves, are we determined to do our best despite the circumstances? Only by feeling fully responsible and having a strong will can we create a kind and proud nation that respects its history and promotes prosperity, peace and happiness throughout the world.

There are moments along the long journey of life when we We come to a crossroads, and our soul is torn, unable to make a choice, and our entire future is at stake. In the centuries-old history of a country, there are also times when it must stop and decide which path to choose. We need to cultivate the ability to think calmly and clearly, develop talents and qualities nurtured by tradition and history, and cherish the land on which we live.

The happiness of one a person is small and fleeting. We must strive for the good of the whole country, the whole world. We must rely on rich traditions, on the strength and qualities inherent in man, and on the ability to rely on ourselves, which has been developed from generation to generation. It's time to update and fix our politics, economics, education and culture for a better democracy and greater happiness for the world.

We should not focus solely on our own immediate needs, we should look twenty or thirty years into the future. We must strive for orderly freedom in which people and organizations can work without difficulty. In a world where everyone realizes their individual abilities to the fullest, people and society as a whole are guaranteed endless growth and development. When we unite The strengths and virtues of each of us complement each other. We can help each other where help and support are needed. Let's look for a free and open road for our country and for the whole world.

Rules and laws are needed in order to live in peace and harmony. We must strictly follow them and clearly understand the difference between what we must do and what we must not do. Only when adults and children remember this difference will our politics, business, culture and education follow the path of sustainable development, as befits the modern world.

What are you striving for? Working every day, what result do you want to get? What does your country consider to be the goal of its progress? If you think you have qualities that are valuable to other people, then every politician every businessman, every company employee, professional and homeowner should make the most of these qualities while fulfilling their duties, giving up the habit of relying on others, so that the country confidently, with full sails, moves into the new century.

This is all just a dream? That we can unite our minds, hold hands and together seek the path to prosperity, peace and happiness? When we take our work too seriously, conflicts of interest can arise. But if we realize common goals, we can achieve harmony and gain powerful strength, and then the dream will come true.

We must always remember that we are all citizens of one country and a sovereign people. We are obliged to choose and determine the direction in which the country will develop. We must carefully and conscientiously to study what exactly is necessary for the prosperity of not only our nation, but the whole world, and to think about what is important for the peace and happiness of people. This is what we must do to create a country that is worth working for and proud of as a true and effective democracy.