Japanese Business Tycoon: Only One Type of Person Can Truly Become Wealthy — Avoid These Three Things If You Don’t Want to Fail

A Japanese business tycoon has identified three habits commonly seen in people who are destined to fail.

Japanese billionaire Kazuo Inamori, founder of technology giant Kyocera, is widely regarded as one of Japan’s most exceptional business leaders. Often described as a legend of the corporate world, he earned this reputation through extraordinary talent and a distinctive leadership philosophy.

Inamori was born into a poor family in Kagoshima Prefecture and nearly died of tuberculosis when he was young. Due to financial hardship, he dropped out of school several times and struggled greatly before finally graduating from university.

After graduation, he joined Shokaze Industry, a company on the brink of bankruptcy. Despite the bleak outlook, Inamori was the only employee who stayed on after a year. People even mocked him, saying, “If you keep working at that bankrupt company, you won’t even have money to get married.”

Inamori, however, saw things differently. He believed that people who are positive, serious, and responsible in their work will always find a way forward, no matter the circumstances.

“There is no greater joy than working diligently and sincerely. Only through that can you change your life,” he once said.

Beyond outlining principles for success, Inamori also pointed out a group of people who rarely achieve great things, characterized by three common traits.

1. Spending Money on Unimportant Things

In reality, the poorer people are, the more they tend to value appearances. Many chase things far beyond their financial means—believing everything they buy must be the most expensive or impressive, and every occasion must be grand. Credit card debt and online loans are common examples.

While others work quietly to improve themselves, people driven by vanity often live in self-delusion, investing heavily in outward appearances while neglecting intellectual growth. When reality catches up, they make excuses, feel deeply offended, or fall into despair, unable to accept failure. Those who avoid confronting failure, Inamori warned, will never succeed.

According to him, everyone has the right to pursue luxury, but only within their means. Otherwise, a future can easily be destroyed by superficial desires. If you lack money or financial discipline, the solution is not pretending—but learning, improving, and building real capability.

2. Attending Meaningless Social Gatherings

Returning to Inamori’s own story, after being mocked for having no money to marry, he worked even harder for the failing company. He rarely left his office and declined almost all social invitations.

While everyone has different relationships, Inamori believed that identifying those that truly create value is what matters most.

When young, many people enjoy lively gatherings and believe frequent socializing helps expand networks. But Inamori emphasized that if you bring no value to others, they will not waste time on you. Before trying to build connections, he advised, assess what you lack and what you can contribute—rather than attending empty parties.

“When you are able to create value for others, meaningful relationships and opportunities will naturally come to you,” he said.

3. The Illusion of Getting Rich Overnight

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos once asked Warren Buffett why so few people follow his simple investment principles despite his immense success. Buffett replied, “Because no one wants to get rich slowly.”

In Kyocera’s early years, Inamori earned millions in profit. Some colleagues immediately pushed for dividends. He spent three days calming them down, warning young employees not to fantasize about overnight wealth.

“You reap what you sow. Accumulated day by day, from little to much, that is how miracles are created,” he said. Those obsessed with instant success, he noted, lack the calm needed to judge situations clearly.

Speculative “meme stock” investing is a clear example. These stocks—often tied to struggling companies—are aggressively bought by speculative investors, causing extreme volatility and inflated valuations far beyond real worth. Companies like Hertz, GameStop, and AMC illustrate this phenomenon.

Although such bubbles are bound to burst, speculators continue buying, hoping to sell quickly at higher prices. The mindset is understandable: everyone wants to get rich fast. But at its core, this behavior is driven by greed.

As the saying goes, “Ambition is not valued for how far it aims, but for how long it persists.” Success is built over time, not overnight. To truly succeed, you don’t need to move fast—move steadily. Stability is maturity, and maturity is what lasts.