Podcast Summary: Founders #357 - Haruki Murakami

Host: David Senra
Date: July 21, 2024
Episode Theme: The Power of Obsession—Lessons from Haruki Murakami’s Dual Devotions to Writing and Running

Episode Overview

In this episode, David Senra explores the memoir of novelist Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, using it as a lens to examine how deep personal obsessions—specifically, with writing and running—shape a life and career. Senra draws practical entrepreneurial lessons from Murakami's routines, choices, and philosophy, connecting them to those of other legendary founders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Obsession and Authenticity as Life's Compass

• Dual Obsessions: After 30 years, Murakami discovered his two great passions: writing novels and long-distance running. Once found, he let these passions shape his daily life and career ([03:15]-[05:40]).
• Authenticity: Murakami and Senra stress that true, sustained productivity comes from working in alignment with your authentic self—not from mimicking others.
  • “That’s just the way I am.” —Murakami ([19:10])

2. The Power and Method of Routine

• Murakami’s Routine:

  • Wakes at 4am, writes 5-6 hours, runs a 10k, swims, reads, listens to music, and is in bed by 9pm.
  • Key: Consistency over intensity; leaves some energy for the next day ([09:48]-[13:17]).
  • "I stop every day right at the point where I feel I can write more, do that. And the next day's work goes surprisingly smooth." —Murakami ([11:00])

• Routine as Flywheel:

  • "To keep on going, you have to keep up the rhythm. This is the important thing for long term projects. Once you set the pace, the rest will follow." —Senra ([12:20])
  • Powerful for creativity, skill acquisition, and emotional steadiness.

3. Choosing Work (or a Business) That Suits You

• The Loner’s Path:

  • Murakami chose both writing and running because they were solitary pursuits, matching his introverted, independent nature ([15:30]-[18:45]).
  • “If you’re going to do the business over long term, you cannot fake who you are over the long term.” —Senra ([18:00])

• Workhorse vs. Racehorse:

  • Murakami identifies as a workhorse—relies on consistency, not bursts of inspiration or force.

4. Autotelic Pursuit: Doing for Its Own Sake

• Writing for Writing’s Sake:
  • Murakami wrote his first novel with no ambition for fame or publishing success: he mailed it off without making a copy ([32:55]).
  • “I was more interested in having finished it than in whether or not it would ever see the light of day.”
  • Autotelic—an activity undertaken for its own intrinsic reward ([33:30]).

5. Endurance in the Face of Criticism

• Dealing with Critics:
  • Murakami accepts emotional hurt as the price for independence and originality ([23:45]-[25:55]).
  • “So the fact that I’m me and no one else is one of my greatest assets... Emotional hurt is the price a person has to pay in order to be independent.” ([25:25])
  • Parallel: Bezos—if you can’t tolerate critics, don’t do anything new.

6. Iterative Growth—Consistency Over Time

• Cumulative Effect of Daily Work:
  • “Writing a page a day doesn’t sound like much, but if you do it every day, you’ll write a book a year.” —Paul Graham via Senra ([01:15:45])
  • Whether building a business or marathon ability, daily persistence beats occasional bursts.

7. The Purpose and Power of Solitude

• Acquiring a Void:
  • Running is a way for Murakami to “acquire a void”—creating a mental blank slate for subconscious ideas to arise ([21:10]).
  • “Big ideas come from the unconscious... You can help this process by going for a long walk.” —David Ogilvy via Senra ([22:00])

8. Focus, Endurance, and the Role of Routine in Creativity

• Focus:
  • The most important quality for a novelist or entrepreneur is the ability to focus on one thing deeply ([01:34:10]).
  • “After focus, the next most important thing for a novelist is, hands down, endurance... you’ll learn both concentration and endurance when you sit down every day at your desk and train yourself.” ([01:35:50])

9. Ignore the Majority, Serve the Devoted Few

• Business Lesson:
  • Success didn’t come from pleasing everyone; rather, “If one out of ten liked the place and said he'd come again, that was enough... It didn’t matter if 9 out of 10 didn’t like my bar.” ([01:09:10])
  • Applies this thinking to his books and entrepreneurial philosophy.

10. Long-Term Commitment, Not Motivation or Mood

• Mood’s Irrelevance:
  • Even the best (Olympic runners, legendary novelists) often don’t feel like working or training—discipline and habit win out over motivation ([01:24:00]).
  • “What’s mood got to do with it?” —Dune reference ([01:24:50])
  • "I pity the poor fellow who’s so soft and flabby that he must always have an atmosphere of good feeling around him before he can do his work." —Henry Ford (quoted by Senra, [01:26:15])

11. The Dangers of Excess and The Importance of Self-Knowledge

• Burnout from Overreaching:
  • Murakami runs an ultramarathon, experiences physical and emotional burnout, and loses his enthusiasm for running ([01:39:20]).
  • Realizes the need for balance: always leaving a little in the tank for tomorrow.

12. Commitment and Cutting Away Other Paths

• The Essence of Commitment:
  • Commitment means cutting away all other options. Murakami’s life is a testament to focusing on, and constantly recommitting to, a few core pursuits ([01:43:05]).
  • “One day, out of the blue, I started to run simply because I wanted to... Thus the seasons come and go and the years pass by. I’ll age one more year and probably finish another novel.” ([01:44:20])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. ([04:40], Murakami’s running mantra)
• "You must find a business that’s authentic to you. You cannot fake passion. Somebody else that really loves the job will outrun you." ([17:30], Senra paraphrasing Bill Gurley)
• “If you absolutely cannot tolerate critics, then don’t do anything new or interesting.” —Jeff Bezos, quoted by Senra ([25:00])
• “The fact that I’m me and no one else is one of my greatest assets. Emotional hurt is the price a person has to pay in order to be independent.” —Murakami ([25:25])
• "If you do it for a long time, you’ll get really good at it and money will come as a result." —Senra ([01:17:40])
• “Writing is an act of service... the indispensable relationship I should build in my life was not with a specific person, but with an unspecified number of readers.” —Murakami ([01:05:51])
• “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth giving it your best, or in some cases, beyond your best.” —Murakami ([01:41:09])
• “If mood determined commitment, few would finish anything. Habit and focus trump mood every time.” —Senra ([01:25:10])

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–03:15: Senra’s intro, “Founders Notes,” and obsession as the episode’s central theme
• 03:15–05:40: Murakami’s discovery of his twin obsessions
• 09:48–13:17: Detailed description and significance of Murakami’s daily routine
• 17:30: Importance of authenticity and passion (Bill Gurley)
• 23:45–25:55: Dealing with criticism and the value of being oneself
• 32:55–33:30: Murakami writes his first novel purely for its own sake (autotelic activity)
• 52:30–53:30: Leaving the jazz bar business to pursue writing full time—risk and commitment
• 01:05:51: On focusing life around service to readers (or customers)
• 01:09:10: Ignoring the masses, serving super-fans in both bar and writing
• 01:15:45: Paul Graham on the compounding power of small daily efforts
• 01:25:10: Discipline over feeling; doing the work despite mood
• 01:39:20: Burnout after an ultramarathon—dangers of excess
• 01:43:05–01:44:20: Final reflections on commitment and long-term focus

Closing Thoughts

Senra synthesizes Murakami’s lessons—blending rigor, obsession, and authenticity—into a clear directive for entrepreneurs: find and align your pursuits with your truest nature, build routines that support slow but relentless progress, and ignore the need for approval from the masses. The stories of Murakami (and other great founders) blend endurance, emotional resilience, and service, demonstrating that greatness emerges from decades of consistent, authentic effort rather than bursts of inspiration or external validation.

Read the Book

Senra highly recommends Murakami’s memoir, praising its readability and depth, and suggests it for those interested in mastery—whether in business, writing, or self-development.

End of Summary