FUDŌSHIN – 不動心 – THE IMMOVABLE MIND

When I see a delicious cake, nothing can stop me—I will eat it. Nothing stands in my way or slows me down. This intense, unwavering determination is known in Japanese as Fudōshin, or “immovable mind.”

Fudōshin means having a mindset so strong and stable that external forces or distractions cannot influence or disrupt it. Picture yourself inside an impenetrable castle where nothing can enter, or standing calmly in the eye of a storm, completely untouched by the chaos around you. That’s what it means to embody Fudōshin.

This unshakable mindset is especially critical when the stakes are high—in combat, competitions, important exams, or when pursuing personal ambitions. In these situations, there’s no room for hesitation or doubt, as that can severely impact your performance.

I personally rely on the power of Fudōshin to achieve my goals—such as creating an informative, accessible, and free Judo encyclopedia for everyone to learn from and enjoy. With an immovable mind, nothing distracts me from this mission.

Benjamin Franklin famously divided humanity into three categories:
“Mankind is divided into three classes: Those who move, those who are movable, and those who are immovable.”

Strive to become someone whose determination is immovable—become Fudōshin.

Thijs Holtermann