[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fbh2rMDsrixjW7zdGof79PW-kL7sHonOX4KBUEnTY2JE":3,"$fapn_JJldYT0SAO5jWgEGhSRm-rq8kWwu-AyasBLg6ok":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},202996,"George Nakashima","G",5,null,"george-nakashima",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":48},[14,23,29,35,41],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":22},3046833,"After a year of doing general farm work, it was quite clear to me that chickens and I were not compatible.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nGeorge Nakashima, a Japanese-American woodworker and furniture designer, shared this quote in his autobiography, reflecting on his early life and experiences. In the 1920s and 1930s, Nakashima, a young man with a passion for woodworking, was struggling to find his place in the world. He spent a year working on a farm, hoping to gain practical skills, but ultimately found that the work wasn't a good fit for him.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nAt first glance, the quote seems like a lighthearted anecdote about a failed experiment. However, it reveals a deeper insight into Nakashima's mindset: he was willing to try something new, acknowledge his limitations, and move on without attachment to the outcome. This humility and adaptability allowed him to redirect his energy towards his true passion – woodworking – and eventually become a renowned craftsman.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn today's fast-paced professional landscape, we often feel pressure to stick with a project or role, even if it's not a good fit. Nakashima's quote encourages us to be more discerning and willing to pivot when necessary, allowing us to conserve energy and focus on activities that align with our strengths and interests. By embracing the idea that \"chickens and I are not compatible,\" we can learn to let go of the things that don't work for us and redirect our efforts towards more fulfilling pursuits.",{"id":24,"quote_text":25,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":26,"source":27,"quote_tag":28,"commentary":9},3046819,"It requires a genuine fight to produce one well designed object of relatively permanent value.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":30,"quote_text":31,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":32,"source":33,"quote_tag":34,"commentary":9},3046805,"A tree is our most intimate contact with nature.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":9},3046793,"When trees mature, it is fair and moral that they are cut for man’s use, as they would soon decay and return to the earth. Trees have a yearning to live again, perhaps to provide the beauty, strength and utility to serve man, even to become an object of great artistic worth.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":42,"quote_text":43,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":44,"source":45,"quote_tag":46,"commentary":47},3046789,"Each flitch, each board, each plank can have only one ideal use. The woodworker, applying a thousand skills, must find that ideal use and then shape the wood to realize its true potential.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote is likely from a lecture or workshop given by George Nakashima, a renowned American-Japanese woodworker and furniture designer, during his prime in the mid-20th century. At that time, Nakashima was deeply influenced by Japanese aesthetics and was experimenting with new techniques to preserve the natural beauty of wood. He was also known for his dedication to the craft of woodworking, which emphasizes an intimate connection between the craftsman, the material, and the final product.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nWhat's often overlooked in this quote is the subtle yet profound tension between two fundamental aspects of Nakashima's philosophy: **perfectionism** and **acceptance**. On one hand, he advocates for finding \"the ideal use\" of each piece of wood, implying an almost fanatical pursuit of perfection. However, on the other hand, he acknowledges that this pursuit is tempered by a deep respect for the inherent potential of the material itself.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply Nakashima's mindset today, take time to **listen to the material**, rather than imposing your preconceptions upon it. By doing so, you'll cultivate an intuitive sense of how to coax out the hidden potential within each project, allowing you to create pieces that are both beautiful and true to their inherent nature.",{"currentPage":49,"totalPages":49,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":50},1,10]