I have a coffee grinder that works exactly as it did when I first bought it 12 years ago. When I pour beans into the top, the machine grinds them to my desired setting, and the coffee spills out the bottom along with a soothing aroma. That is simply what this machine does.

This machine is so consistent that it makes me forget the very process of grinding coffee, and before I knew it, that process had become an entirely natural daily routine. Those few seconds when my hand reaches for the machine without a single thought are truly a time of pure, empty mindlessness. I had taken my reliance on this machine so comfortably for granted.

The problem is that, upon suddenly becoming aware of this machine's presence, I began to fear that it might one day stop working! I realized something highly valuable in my life. It is 'consistency.' Namely, the consistency of that machine, which silently does its duty to so conveniently provide me with what I need every single day. It is that one small action—which I had barely even given a thought to—that influences the resulting outcome of immense satisfaction.

This is a product from a Japanese brand, just like my camera. Almost everything they make are reliable workhorses that silently do their jobs. Even my car, a Mazda, rarely utters a complaint, except when its consumable parts wear out. I believe that their unique 'craftsmanship' is what creates such dependable objects.

You need this exact same mindset when pressing a camera shutter. Just as they have done for generations, you too must take tens of thousands of photographs to reach the level of a master. It is what you must do, ceaselessly and consistently, to reach where you want to be.

Everything you wish to achieve in life requires consistency. Without it, you are merely a passerby—an extra in your own life, like a background character in a movie.