Why do I keep creating content? Why do I keep writing on Substack, even though English isn’t my first language?

Not for the money. Not to sell you a method or package my knowledge as a product.

I just want to leave behind this clumsy, honest version of myself in my 40s — captured through today’s filter, before it fades.

Even if no one reads it, even if no one listens —

if it’s the greatest thing you’ve made, at least to you, that’s enough.

That’s the idea behind this song.

---

📝 Lyrics

[Intro]

(soft acoustic guitar, quiet humming)

[Verse 1]

I’m not so good with English words

I lean on AI, that’s how it works

But still I write what today brings

Before it fades, before it disappears

As long as this platform stands

I’ll keep on reaching out my hand

Not for the money, not to sell a scheme

Just to leave this clumsy, honest dream

[Pre-Chorus]

If my paid readers start to grow

I’ll have more time to let it flow

But I won’t sell you “how to win”

I just want to show you where I’ve been

[Chorus]

Even if nobody reads it

Your story has its worth

At the very least, to you

It’s the greatest on this earth

Even if nobody hears it

Your song still finds its place

At the very least, to you

It’s the greatest you could make

[Verse 2]

Articles, videos, podcasts too

Music, songs, all made for you

They’re not separate, not apart

They’re one true thing, one single heart

For those who read, I write it down

For those who watch, I turn it ‘round

For those who listen, I record my voice

For those who feel, a song’s my choice

[Pre-Chorus]

As AI keeps on growing fast

Maybe someday, beyond the past

It’ll carry this same truth I hold

In ways we’ve never seen unfold

[Chorus]

Even if nobody watches

Your video has its worth

At the very least, to you

It’s the greatest on this earth

Even if nobody’s listening

Your podcast finds its place

At the very least, to you

It’s the greatest you could make

[Bridge]

Whether you’re working nine to five

Freelance, in between, still trying to thrive

A student, a parent, retired at last

Or free from money, living fast

Be who you are, let it come alive

Send your voice out, set it free to fly

The process itself, the work, the art

That’s what matters, that’s the start

They say your work means nothing at all

Unless somebody hears the call

But I believe it’s fine to start

Making something just for your own heart

[Final Chorus]

Even if nobody reads it

Your story has its worth

Even if nobody hears it

Your song still finds its place

At the very least, to you

It’ll be the greatest one you’ve made

At the very least, to you

A treasure that will never fade

[Outro]

As long as this platform stands

I’ll keep on writing, keep on writing

Keep on writing...

(guitar fades out)

🔗 Links

X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes

Substack: https://hatchy99.substack.com/

英語が得意じゃない自分が、なぜコンテンツを作り続けるのか。

なぜサブスタックを続けるのか。

稼ぐためじゃない。ノウハウを売るためでもない。

ただ、この不器用な40代の「今」を、今のフィルターで残しておきたい。

そんな想いを込めた一曲です。

誰にも読まれなくても、誰にも聴かれなくても——

最低でも自分にとっては、最高の作品だと思えたなら。

そんな価値観を歌にしました。

---

📝 歌詞

[Intro]

(アコースティックギター、静かなハミング)

[Verse 1]

英語なんて 得意じゃない

AIの力を 借りながら

それでも書く 今日の言葉

消えていく前に 残したくて

サブスタックが 続く限り

届け続けたい ただそれだけ

稼ぐためじゃない 売るためでもない

この不器用な 今を残したい

[Pre-Chorus]

有料の読者が 増えたなら

もっと時間を 創作に使える

でもノウハウを 売る気はない

ただ生きてる姿を 見せたいだけ

[Chorus]

誰にも読まれなくたって

あなたの記事には価値がある

最低でもあなたにとっては

最高の記事だ

誰にも聴かれなくたって

あなたの歌には価値がある

最低でもあなたにとっては

最高の歌だ

[Verse 2]

記事も動画も ポッドキャストも

音楽も歌も SNSも

バラバラじゃない 同じ本質を

違う形で 届けてるだけ

読みたい人には 文章を

観たい人には 動画を

聴きたい人には ポッドキャストを

感じたい人には 歌を歌う

[Pre-Chorus]

AIが進化 し続ける中で

想像もできない 方法さえも

いつか本質を 届けられる

そう思うだけで ワクワクするんだ

[Chorus]

誰にも見られなくたって

あなたの動画には価値がある

最低でもあなたにとっては

最高の動画だ

誰にも聞かれなくたって

あなたのポッドキャストには価値がある

最低でもあなたにとっては

最高のポッドキャストだ

[Bridge]

会社員でも フリーランスでも

転職中でも 学生でも

主婦であっても 引退した人でも

ファイアーを達成した人でも 構わない

あなたらしく あなたの表現を

もっと自由に 世界へ発信しよう

作る工程 それ自体が

人生にとって かけがえのないもの

誰かの役に 立たなきゃダメだと

言われるけれど 私は思うんだ

まずは自分の ためでいいと

自分のための コンテンツでいいと

[Final Chorus]

誰にも読まれなくたって

あなたの記事には価値がある

誰にも聴かれなくたって

あなたの歌には価値がある

最低でもあなたにとっては

最高の一つになるはずだ

最低でもあなたにとっては

かけがえのない 宝物だ

[Outro]

サブスタックが 続く限り

書き続けるよ

書き続けるよ...

(ギターのフェードアウト)

🔗 SNS・各種リンク

X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes

Substack: https://hatchy99.substack.com/

In this episode, we dive into a quietly profound essay hidden inside the most ordinary of Saturday mornings: a couple’s grocery run. Instead of driving, they choose a 10-minute bike ride to the discount supermarket — trading a few saved minutes for something far more valuable.

We explore the ritual of pumping bicycle tires as a psychological threshold, the difference between abstract labor (staring at screens all week) and tangible labor (the wind, the pedals, the burn in your legs), and why an unconscious hum might be the ultimate marker of a free mind.

We also talk about what happens at the checkout line, when inflation quietly adds an extra 2,000 yen to the bill — and how the couple refuses to let that number steal the joy of their morning.

This is a conversation about mental margins, dynamic harmony between partners, and choosing friction on purpose in a world obsessed with efficiency.

What’s your equivalent of the 10-minute bike ride? What daily chore might actually be a disguised opportunity for connection?

Hatchy をシェア

Links
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLuIZk5I25Phq2pEXI9JYdw
X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes
Substack:

Hatchy

"Earn less, live more." A gym trainer & creator in Japan building small, happy work in his 40s. 🔥

There’s a small ritual before we go: pumping air into the tires, sunscreen, a hat pulled low. None of it is strictly necessary. But it turns an ordinary Saturday into something that feels like the start of a tiny adventure.

Somewhere along the ride, I catch myself humming — without even noticing. That’s my signal that I’ve actually relaxed, that the to-do list in my head has finally gone quiet, if only for a moment.

Inside the store, the real negotiation begins: me reaching for meat, my wife quietly swapping in vegetables and frozen food. It’s a routine we’ve repeated for years, and somehow, by checkout, the basket always finds its balance.

These days, the total comes to about 12,000 yen — 2,000 more than it used to be. Prices go up; there’s nothing to be done about that. But the conversation, the ten minutes pedaling side by side — those don’t get more expensive. If anything, protecting that part feels more important now than ever.

This song is about that ordinary Saturday routine, and about an investment that never shows up on any receipt.

Is there a “daily ritual” in your own life — one you’d keep even if it isn’t the most efficient way? The wind on your face, a tune you didn’t mean to hum — those things don’t come with a price tag, and they’re often what makes an ordinary life feel like a good one.

Full Lyrics

[Intro]
Tires humming, morning light,
Saturday’s calling, feels just right.

[Verse 1]
Three minutes by car, ten by bike,
Seven minutes we don’t need to spend—
But we choose them anyway,
Sunscreen on, hats pulled low.

[Verse 2]
Efficiency isn’t the only truth,
The wind teaches us something new.
Half our words get carried away,
Still somehow, they land okay.

[Chorus]
When the humming starts, that’s my sign,
I’m finally letting go of time.
The list inside my head grows still,
Just for now, just for this hill.

[Verse 3]
Meat-lover me, balance-loving you,
A quiet negotiation, nothing new.
Years of this same little dance,
By checkout time, it’s just enough.

[Verse 4]
Twelve thousand yen, a little more,
Prices climb, we can’t ignore.
But the talking, the pedaling side by side,
Those don’t get more expensive with time.

[Chorus]
When the humming starts, that’s my sign,
I’m finally letting go of time.
The list inside my head grows still,
Just for now, just for this hill.

[Bridge]
Riding home, the wind at our backs,
Lighter now than the road we had.
Thinking of dinner, thinking of you,
Humming again before we’re through.

[Verse 5]
Twelve thousand yen isn’t just groceries bought,
It’s moving bodies, it’s words we’ve caught,
It’s something small we build each week—
An investment no receipt will keep.

[Final Chorus]
When the humming starts, that’s my sign,
Not the fastest way, but worth the time.
Wind on my face, a melody I can’t chase,
This is what makes an ordinary life okay.

[Outro]
Tires humming, heading home,
Not a bad life, not a bad life at all.

風を感じながら漕ぐペダル、半分も聞こえない他愛のない会話、気づかないうちに口をついて出る鼻歌——それは、自分が本当にリラックスできている証拠です。

物価が上がり、買い物の会計は以前より2,000円ほど高くなりました。でも、会話も、並んでペダルを漕ぐ時間も、値上がりすることはありません。むしろ今だからこそ、その部分を意識して大切に守ることに、以前より大きな意味があるように感じています。

この曲は、そんなありふれた土曜日の風景と、レシートには載らない「投資」について歌っています。

あなたの生活の中にも、たとえ一番効率的な方法でなくても、それでも守り続けたい「日常の儀式」はありますか？

歌詞

[Intro]
タイヤが鳴る、朝の光
土曜日が呼んでる、ちょうどいい気分

[Verse 1]
車なら三分、自転車なら十分
使わなくていい七分間——
それでも僕らは選ぶんだ
日焼け止めを塗って、帽子を深くかぶって

[Verse 2]
効率だけが真実じゃない
風が何か新しいことを教えてくれる
言葉の半分は風に消えていくけど
それでも何とか、伝わっている

[コーラス]
鼻歌が始まったら、それが合図
やっと時間を手放せている証拠
頭の中のリストが静かになる
今だけ、この坂道だけ

[Verse 3]
肉派の僕、バランス派の君
静かな交渉、いつものこと
何年も続く同じやり取り
レジに着く頃には、ちょうどいい

[Verse 4]
一万二千円、少し値上がりした
物価が上がるのは仕方ない
でも会話も、並んでペダルを漕ぐことも
時間と共に高くなったりしない

[コーラス]
鼻歌が始まったら、それが合図
やっと時間を手放せている証拠
頭の中のリストが静かになる
今だけ、この坂道だけ

[ブリッジ]
帰り道、追い風を背に
行きよりも軽く感じる
夕食のこと、君のことを考えながら
また鼻歌が戻ってくる

[Verse 5]
一万二千円は食料品だけじゃない
体を動かすこと、交わした言葉
毎週少しずつ積み上げてきたもの——
レシートには載らない投資

[ラストコーラス]
鼻歌が始まったら、それが合図
一番速い道じゃなくても、それだけの価値がある
顔に受ける風、追いかけられないメロディ
それが、ありふれた毎日を悪くないと感じさせてくれる

[アウトロ]
タイヤが鳴る、家路につく
悪くない人生さ、悪くない人生さ

Hatchy をシェア

▼チャンネル登録はこちら
X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes

今日、目が覚めた瞬間に——あなたは新しく生まれました。

スーパーマンにならなくていい。子供の声にふと振り向けた、パートナーの話をちゃんと聴けた、「助けて」と言えた。

そんな小さな一歩が、昨日の自分を越える瞬間です。

毎日が新しい誕生日。信じることが先で、変化はあとからついてくる。

そんな想いを、温かいアコースティックの音に乗せました。

[Verse 1]

今日の朝 目が覚めた

また新しい自分が生まれた

昨日の涙も 後悔も

全部抱えて 歩き出す

仕事の手を止めて

子供の声に振り向いた

ただそれだけのことが

今日一番の 勇気だった

[Chorus]

毎日が 新しい誕生日

スーパーマンじゃなくていい

小さな一歩が 光になる

今日の私が 昨日を越えてく

[Verse 2]

テレビを消して 妻の話を聴いた

世界を変える話じゃないけど

ちゃんと受け取った その温かさが

二人の間に 静かに積もる

子供の「しんどい」に 気づけた朝

答えじゃなくて そばにいた

それだけでいい それだけで

新しい自分が 生まれてた

[Chorus]

毎日が 新しい誕生日

完璧じゃなくていい

小さな変化を 受け取るだけで

1時間前の 自分を越えてく

[Bridge]

信じることが先で

変化はあとからついてくる

失敗も 後悔も

全部 今日の贈り物

[Outro]

今日目が覚めた時

また新しく生まれた

毎日が 毎日が

新しい誕生日だから

Hatchy をシェア

🎙 はっちの他のコンテンツはこちら

📮 Substack:

Hatchy

"Earn less, live more." A gym trainer & creator in Japan building small, happy work in his 40s. 🔥

🐦 X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes

🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes

Every morning you wake up, you’re already someone new.

You don’t have to be a superhero. You just have to turn toward your child when they call. Turn off the TV and really listen. Sit beside someone who’s struggling — without needing to fix anything.

Those small moments are where change is born.

This song is about the quiet courage it takes to be just a little better than you were an hour ago. Believe it first — change follows.

Every day is your birthday.

[Verse 1]
I woke up this morning to a brand new day
The same old worries, but a different way
I put down my work when I heard you call
Just turned around — that’s not nothing at all

[Pre-Chorus]
You don’t have to be a hero
You don’t have to change the world
Just one small step in the right direction
That’s where a new you is born

[Chorus]
Every day is your birthday
A chance to be someone new
You don’t need a perfect moment
Just a little more than yesterday’s you
Every day is your birthday
Small steps, they light the way
Believe it first and change will follow
You’re born again today

[Verse 2]
I turned off the TV, I listened to her voice
Nothing earth-shattering, but I made a choice
I sat with my child when they seemed far away
No answers needed — I just had to stay

[Pre-Chorus]
You don’t have to fix it all now
You don’t have to have the words
Sometimes being there is everything
And that’s how a new you is heard

[Chorus]
Every day is your birthday
A chance to be someone new
You don’t need a perfect moment
Just a little more than yesterday’s you
Every day is your birthday
Small steps, they light the way
Believe it first and change will follow
You’re born again today

[Bridge]
Take in the failures, take in the grace
Take in the thank-you that warmed up your face
An hour from now you could already be
A little bit closer to who you want to be

[Outro]
Every day is your birthday
Every day is your birthday
Open your eyes — you’re already new
Every day is your birthday

🎙 More from Hatchy:

📮 Substack:

Hatchy

"Earn less, live more." A gym trainer & creator in Japan building small, happy work in his 40s. 🔥

🐦 X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes

🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes

One evening, I was sitting on the couch with my laptop open, writing a Substack article.

The theme was “how to face days when nothing goes right.” I was weaving together my own failures and my child’s struggles, putting words out into the world.

That’s when I heard an unfamiliar sound coming from behind me.

English.

I turned around. My child was watching a Netflix anime on the TV — in English audio. Oh, they switched to English, I thought, assuming it was a passing whim. I turned back to my screen.

A little while later, my child came running over.

“Dad, listen. I accidentally studied for two whole hours.”

I stopped typing without thinking.

No one taught them to do this. So why?

No One Showed Them How

What surprised me wasn’t the “two hours.”

It was the method.

The learning system my child had invented on their own had two steps:

Step 1: Watch a favorite anime with English audio and Japanese subtitles.
Step 2: Watch the same content again with Japanese audio and English subtitles to confirm understanding.

No cram school. No textbook. No parental instruction. A method they invented themselves.

“How can I keep engaging with English while actually enjoying myself?” — my child had found the answer to that question entirely alone.

This is all I said:

“What’s amazing isn’t that you studied for two hours. What’s amazing is that you thought it through yourself, got creative, and saw it through — all while having fun. That is what’s truly impressive.”

“Cool” Was the Most Powerful Learning Engine

The trigger was simple.

My child was watching Sakamoto Days and suddenly noticed: “Doesn’t the English audio sound cooler?”

I watched a little alongside them. They were right. The tone of the English voice actors fit the show’s hard-boiled world perfectly.

That feeling of cool — that’s what sustained two hours of focused attention. Not obligation. Not pressure. Not a reward. Pure curiosity became the fuel for learning.

From a neuroscience perspective, this is a dopamine story. When people are absorbed in something they love, the brain’s learning efficiency reaches its peak. My child didn’t know the theory — but they were living it.

Netflix Was a Multilingual Platform All Along

I did a little research afterward and was genuinely surprised by how many languages were available for the anime my child had been watching.

Sakamoto Days
Audio: Japanese, English, Spanish, Portuguese
Subtitles: Japanese, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean

Spy x Family
Audio: Japanese, Chinese, English, Indonesian, Thai, Hindi, Filipino, Vietnamese

With one tap, you can access “learning materials” in eight languages from around the world. Anime had already become a global learning infrastructure — I just hadn’t noticed.

When I Was in Elementary School, Learning Felt Like Someone Else’s Business

I’ll be honest.

I was the type who did my homework dutifully as a kid. But inside, there was always a quiet voice asking: “Why do I have to do any of this?”

Learning was something given to me by others. It was never something I chose for myself.

That’s why, watching my child transform studying into something enjoyable — entirely on their own terms — made me happier than I can easily express.

I want to call this “ownership of learning.” The moment studying shifts from something done to you to something that is yours — that, I believe, is the real breakthrough in education.

This is what I told my child:

“From here on out, whether it’s studying or entrance exams, you will definitely hit walls. When that happens, I want you to remember this moment. There’s no single right way. You’re allowed to find the way that works for you.“

Don’t Miss the Small Shifts

To celebrate that day, I gave my child a copy of an analytical book about Blue Lock — not the manga itself, but a text-based book that examines the characters’ decisions and motivations through logical analysis.

Choosing a written book rather than a comic was a small strategic move on my part. The goal: to keep the flame of interest alive while gently leading from the intuitive entry point of visuals and audio toward deeper, text-based comprehension.

A child’s growth doesn’t show up in test scores. It appears in the quiet, spontaneous acts of creativity that surface in everyday life.

What matters is noticing those small shifts — and finding them genuinely fascinating together.

The seeds of tomorrow’s breakthroughs are hiding in the ordinary moments of today.

What small change did you notice today?

I was at the same table, stressed out, racing toward a deadline.

Then they hit pause, turned around, and said:

“I just studied for two hours.”

I didn’t believe it.

But when I asked, I realized they had invented their own method —

completely on their own, with no teacher, no textbook, no instruction from me.

Step 1: Watch with Japanese subtitles + English audio

Step 2: Rewatch the same episode with English subtitles + Japanese audio

Their reason? “It just sounds cooler in English.”

That was it. No entrance exam pressure. No reward system.

Just pure curiosity — and a method they built themselves.

In this episode, I explore what my kid’s “subtitle hack” revealed about

the difference between forced learning and self-directed discovery,

the role of a parent who simply pays attention,

and why owning your method means owning your outcome.

The question at the end of the essay still sits with me:

Did you notice any small changes today?

---

▼ Small Work in Your 40s | Hatchy

X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes

Substack: https://hatchy99.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLuIZk5I25Phq2pEXI9JYdw

My instinct was to ask, “What happened?” — but I held it back. When the heart is in chaos, demanding words only makes it worse. So instead, I said: “You don’t have to say anything right now.” And I took them to the park.

We threw a ball around in the twilight. No deep conversations. No lessons. Just movement, and laughter, and the quiet space to breathe.

On the walk home, my child started talking — on their own terms, at their own pace.

But the story didn’t end there.

That night, the emotions spilled over again. Harsh words. A moment of real conflict. I set a firm boundary — calmly, but clearly. And then my child went to their room.

About 30 minutes later, they came back and said: “I’m sorry.”

No excuses attached. No “but you also...” Just a clean, honest apology.

I was stunned. It took me 27 years to learn how to do that. My child did it in one night.

In this episode, I explore what that morning revealed about the biology of emotional distress, the courage it takes to apologize without a shield, and what it really means to grow up — not by becoming flawless, but by learning to stand up for others while still carrying your own imperfections.

Today, if you gently set your pride aside — what one word could you say to someone?

That word might be the one that repaints the sky of your world.

📝 Read the original Japanese essay on note:
𝕏 / Threads: @hatchy_notes
Substack:

Hatchy

"Earn less, live more." A gym trainer & creator in Japan building small, happy work in his 40s. 🔥

The internet’s golden rule says: pick one niche, build one audience, optimize everything. But Hatchy — a 47-year-old Japanese freelance creator, gym trainer, and father of two — looked at that rule and walked deliberately in the opposite direction.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into Hatchy’s first paid Substack post, “Everything I’m Creating Right Now” — what might honestly be the ultimate anti-niche manifesto.

We explore:

• Why Hatchy runs 7 YouTube channels and 15 podcast shows without burning out — and why he calls it an act of intention, not chaos

• The concept of “digital clones” — how your content becomes a 24/7 ambassador of your current self, working while you sleep

• Why he chose to document the rawness of his 40s while living them, before memory smooths over the sharp edges

• How he reaches a global audience not by going broad, but by going fiercely specific — and letting AI translation do the rest

• The difference between content creation and content extraction — and why the shift changes everything

Hatchy isn’t building a brand. He’s broadcasting a heartbeat.

Whether you’re a creator feeling the pressure to niche down, an amateur investor planting small seeds, or just someone navigating the beautifully messy middle of life in your 40s — this episode will make you rethink what it means to document a life honestly.

The rawness isn’t the liability. It’s the asset.

This podcast is part of Hatchy’s English-language content hub on Substack.
→ Subscribe:

Hatchy

"Earn less, live more." A gym trainer & creator in Japan building small, happy work in his 40s. 🔥

→ X / Threads: @hatchy_notes

One night, my child came to me complaining of a sore throat and a stuffy nose.
There was a kanji test the next morning.
They’d been to the pool that day. They’d played at the park. But the moment dinner ended — “I can’t do this anymore.”

That’s when I realized: this isn’t about being sick. This is about the test.

Before 6 a.m. the next morning, looking at my child’s face from under the covers, I said:

“You studied hard even when you weren’t feeling well. You went to bed two hours early to take care of yourself. You did what you needed to do. So even if you get zero — I won’t be angry.”

And then I told them the truth:

“Even if you skip the test, you’ll have to take it again eventually. When I feel anxious at work, I’ve learned — the anxiety doesn’t go away until you face what’s causing it.”

A silence fell between us.

Then my child said: “Okay. There’s still time. I’m going to study.”

In that instant, their whole face changed.

They sat at the dining table, found the kanji they struggled with, checked them one by one — and said: “I’m ready now!”

The score didn’t matter.
What mattered was that they faced the wall of pressure — on their own.
That was the real test. And they passed.

I wrote this song about that morning.

🎵 Today’s Song: “It Wasn’t a Cold — It Was Fear”

▼ Full Lyrics

(Verse 1)
You said your throat was hurting
You said you couldn’t breathe
But you swam that afternoon
And ran through autumn leaves

The test was in the morning
And dinner made it real
“I can’t do this anymore” —
I knew just what you’d feel

(Pre-Chorus)
It wasn’t a cold that kept you up at night
It was the weight of something harder than the light

(Chorus)
It wasn’t a cold, it was fear inside
Pressure building up like a rising tide
I told you: even zero, I won’t be mad
You did your best — that’s all I’ve ever had

(Verse 2)
Before the sun had risen
You came back to my side
“My nose, my throat, still hurting” —
But something in your eyes

I said, “I feel it too, son
At work, I know this place
You can’t outrun the worry
You’ve got to face to face”

(Pre-Chorus)
It wasn’t a cold that kept you up at night
It was the wall you had to climb before the light

(Chorus)
It wasn’t a cold, it was fear inside
Pressure building up like a rising tide
I told you: even zero, I won’t be mad
You did your best — that’s all I’ve ever had

(Bridge)
A silence fell between us
Then quietly you said
“I understand. There’s still time —
I’ll study now instead”

You sat down at the table
Checked the ones you’d missed
Your face had changed completely —
You were ready for this

(Final Chorus)
It wasn’t a cold, it was fear you faced
And you walked right through it, found your own brave space
The score didn’t matter — you passed the real test
Facing the pressure — son, you gave your best

(Outro)
That moment, your face changed…
That was the real passing grade.

📝 Read the original article that inspired this episode:
🎙️ Hatchy’s Songs to Change Tomorrow
→ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8GLbxVb2Pm5zQ5F9w-WJHQ/

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Hatchy

ジムトレーナー×クリエイター。36歳で倒れ「稼ぐより生きる」に気づく。稼げなくても幸せな40代の小さな仕事の育て方を発信中。投資・筋トレを実験中🔥 Gym trainer × creator in Japan. Burned out at 36. Now experimenting with side hustles, investing & fitness in my 40s. → note.com/hatchy99

A song born from one child’s courage — hoping it reaches someone who needs it today. Thanks for listening.

夜、子供が「喉が痛い、鼻で息できない」と言ってきた。
翌日には漢字テストがある。
プールにも行けたし、公園でも遊んだ。でも夕飯が終わった途端に「もう無理」と。

あ、これはテストのプレッシャーだな、と気づいた。

翌朝6時前。布団の中で子供の顔を見ながら、こう言った。

「体調が悪い中で勉強を頑張ったじゃないか。やるべきことはやった。だから0点でも、パパは怒らない。」

そして、こうも伝えた。

「パパも仕事で不安になるとき、結局は不安の原因に向き合わないと、不安は消えないんだよ。」

しばらく沈黙があって、子供が言った。
「わかった。まだ時間あるから勉強する。」

その瞬間、顔がキリッと変わった。

点数じゃない。プレッシャーという壁に、自分で向き合えたこと。それが本当の「合格」だった。

そんな朝の出来事を、一曲に込めました。

🎵 今日の歌：「風邪じゃなくて、怖かっただけ」

(Verse 1)
喉が痛いって言っていたね
息が苦しいって言っていたね
でもあの午後はプールに行けた
公園で走って、笑っていた

翌日のテストが迫ってきて
夕飯の後に崩れ落ちた
「もう無理」って言ったその声
パパにはわかった、その本当の意味

(Pre-Chorus)
風邪じゃない、夜を眠れなくさせたのは
もっと重くて、もっと大事なもの

(Chorus)
風邪じゃなくて、怖かっただけ
プレッシャーという波に飲まれそうで
0点でも、パパは怒らない
やるべきことをやった、それだけでいい

(Verse 2)
夜明け前に戻ってきたね
「まだ喉が、まだ鼻が」と言いながら
でも布団越しに見た君の目に
もっと別の何かが揺れていた

パパも同じだよ、仕事でも
不安はね、逃げても消えないんだ
向き合うしかない、その場所に立って
はじめて前に進めるんだよ

(Pre-Chorus)
風邪じゃない、夜を眠れなくさせたのは
越えなきゃいけない、光の前の壁

(Chorus)
風邪じゃなくて、怖かっただけ
プレッシャーという波に飲まれそうで
0点でも、パパは怒らない
やるべきことをやった、それだけでいい

(Bridge)
しばらく沈黙があって
君は静かに言った
「わかった。まだ時間ある
勉強する」

テーブルに向かった背中
苦手な漢字だけを選んで
顔がキリッと変わった瞬間
「もう大丈夫！」って笑った

(Final Chorus)
風邪じゃなくて、怖さと戦った
自分でプレッシャーの壁を越えた
点数なんてどうでもよかった
本当のテストに、君は合格した

(Outro)
その瞬間、顔が変わった…
それが今日の、本当の合格だった。

シェア

📝 このエピソードのもととなった記事はこちら
→ https://note.com/hatchy99

🎙️ はっちの明日を変える応援歌
→ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8GLbxVb2Pm5zQ5F9w-WJHQ/

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Hatchy

ジムトレーナー×クリエイター。36歳で倒れ「稼ぐより生きる」に気づく。稼げなくても幸せな40代の小さな仕事の育て方を発信中。投資・筋トレを実験中🔥 Gym trainer × creator in Japan. Burned out at 36. Now experimenting with side hustles, investing & fitness in my 40s. → note.com/hatchy99

There was a night they came home in tears.

They had fought with a friend and walked through the door completely shattered. I felt the urge rise up inside me — “What happened?” — and I pushed it back down. I knew that demanding words from someone whose heart is still in chaos only makes the pain worse.

“You can tell me when you’re ready. You don’t have to say anything right now.”

I simply held that space — and took them to the park.

The body found the answer first

Baseball. Dodgeball. Moving through the amber light of an evening past six, with nothing complicated said.

We just moved together. Laughed together. Somewhere along the way, the smile came back.

On the walk home, they started talking on their own.

No one prompted them. No one said “now let’s reflect.” Just quietly, at their own pace.

“Actually…”

They told me honestly what had happened with their friend. I think being able to move their body gave them just enough distance to finally find the words.

That night, a fight broke out at home

But the story didn’t end there.

Back home, their emotions spilled over again. Harsh words came out. There was hitting. It was directed at family.

I said it clearly.

“Fighting with a friend — that happens. But hurting family — that I will not allow.”

I didn’t shout. But I meant every word. I needed them to understand the weight of hurting someone you love.

After a while, they went to their room.

The next morning, they said “I’m sorry”

Maybe thirty minutes passed. Whether they were sitting with themselves, or slowly finding their way back through play, I’m not sure. But they came to me quietly and said “I’m sorry.”

I received those words, and spoke again in a calm voice.

Because I love you, I will never allow you to hurt family. Dad protects his family. Whether family or friends — the people who matter to you are meant to be protected, never hurt.

They nodded, with a look of real seriousness on their face.

And later that day, they told me: at school, they had gone up to their friend and said “I’m sorry about the other day.”

They walked the hardest road themselves

Apologizing is not weakness.

Running to self-justification is far easier. “They were wrong too.” “It couldn’t be helped.” Telling yourself those things offers a kind of shelter, at least for a moment.

But the person who can look their own mistake in the face, set their pride aside, and say “I’m sorry” — that person is truly strong.

It took me twenty-seven years to really understand that in my bones.

This child got there in a single night.

I am so proud

Raising children means being confronted with your own immaturity, over and over again.

But sometimes, you witness a moment where your child is walking far ahead of you.

That morning was one of those moments.

Growth isn’t about becoming more capable. It’s about being able to stand up for someone else — with all your own weakness still intact. That’s what I believe.

Today — what is the one thing you could say to someone, if you quietly set your pride aside?

That single word might be the thing that changes the color of your sky.

I didn’t ask what happened. Not yet. I knew that pushing for words when emotions are still raw only makes things worse. So I just stayed close, and took them to the park.

Baseball. Dodgeball. Moving our bodies in the fading light of early evening. No lectures. No questions. Just being there together.

On the walk home, my child opened up — naturally, at their own pace. But the night wasn’t over. Back at home, the emotions spilled out again. Harsh words. A few hits. Pain directed at the family.

I said it clearly: “I will never allow you to hurt the people you love.”

About 30 minutes later, they came to me quietly. “I’m sorry.”

And the next day at school, they said the same words to their friend.

It took me 27 years to learn what this child learned in a single night — that saying sorry isn’t weakness. It’s the hardest road. And the one worth walking.

▶︎ hatchy99.substack.com

My child was watching Netflix anime — with Japanese subtitles and English audio. Then, without anyone telling them to, they switched it: English subtitles, Japanese audio.

Two hours passed like nothing.

“It went by so fast, Dad.”

That’s how you know something is real.

The impressive part wasn’t the two hours of studying. It was the fact that they thought it up themselves, made it their own, and actually enjoyed it.

This song is for every learner — child or adult — who has ever found their own door into something they love.

There is no single right method. You are allowed to find your own way.

🎵 Lyrics — Anime wa Sensei (アニメが先生)

(Verse 1)
I was working in the living room
When English words drifted through the air
I looked up from my screen, and there you were
Watching cartoons like you didn’t have a care

But something was different — I leaned in close
Japanese subtitles, English sound
Then you flipped it, swapped the tracks around
The smartest study method I had found

(Pre-chorus)
No textbook told you how
No teacher showed the way
You built the bridge yourself
In your own quiet way

(Chorus)
Anime is your teacher now
You found the door, you found out how
Two hours gone like morning mist
A joy that no assignment ever kissed
The lesson wasn’t what you learned today
It’s that you chose the path, you made the way
Anime is your teacher — and so are you

(Verse 2)
“Sakamoto Days sounds cooler in English, right?”
I watched a little — yeah, I think you’re right
Spy x Family, Blue Lock on the screen
Languages blooming where homework had been

You told me “It went by so fast, Dad”
That’s how you know that something’s real
When effort turns to joy, not pain
That’s the only grade that matters in the end

(Pre-chorus)
No pressure, no red marks
Just curiosity
You turned the whole thing into
Something wild and free

(Chorus)
Anime is your teacher now
You found the door, you found out how
Two hours gone like morning mist
A joy that no assignment ever kissed
The lesson wasn’t what you learned today
It’s that you chose the path, you made the way
Anime is your teacher — and so are you

(Bridge)
I was writing about hard days
For strangers far away
When right here in our living room
You showed me how to play

There is no single right road
No perfect way to grow
Just the spark inside your chest
That only you can know

(Final Chorus)
Anime is your teacher now
And I’m the one still learning how
To trust the joy, to let it in
To find the door — and begin again
The lesson lives inside your eyes
My little one, you’re more than wise
Anime is your teacher — and so am I

(Outro)
“Sakamoto... sounds cooler in English, right?”
Yeah. It really does.

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Hatchy

ジムトレーナー×クリエイター。36歳で倒れ「稼ぐより生きる」に気づく。稼げなくても幸せな40代の小さな仕事の育て方を発信中。投資・筋トレを実験中🔥 Gym trainer × creator in Japan. Burned out at 36. Now experimenting with side hustles, investing & fitness in my 40s. → note.com/hatchy99

子供がNetflixのアニメを見ていた。日本語字幕・英語音声で。そしてしばらくして、誰かに言われたわけでもなく、今度は英語字幕・日本語音声に切り替えた。

2時間が、あっという間に過ぎた。

「あっという間だったよ、パパ。」

それが本物の証明だと思う。

すごいのは2時間勉強したことじゃない。自分で考えて、工夫して、楽しみながらやりきった——その事実だ。

この曲は、子供でも大人でも、好きなものの中に自分だけのドアを見つけたすべての人へ。

正解の方法なんてひとつじゃない。自分が楽しめるやり方を、自分で見つけていい。

🎵 歌詞 — アニメが先生

(1番)
リビングで仕事してたら
英語が耳に飛び込んできた
顔を上げたら、そこにあなたがいた
アニメを見て、何も気にせず

でも何かが違った — 近づいてみると
日本語字幕で、英語の音声
そして今度は逆にして
こんな勉強法、誰も教えてくれなかった

(プレコーラス)
参考書には書いてなかった
先生も教えてくれなかった
自分で橋を架けたんだ
あなた自身の静かなやり方で

(コーラス)
アニメが先生になった
自分でドアを見つけたんだ
2時間があっという間に過ぎた
宿題じゃ絶対に感じられない喜び
今日学んだことより大切なのは
あなたが道を選んだという事実
アニメが先生 — そしてあなた自身も

(2番)
「サカモトデイズって英語の方がカッコよくない？」
少し一緒に見たけど、確かにそうだった
スパイファミリー、ブルーロック
宿題だったはずの場所で、言葉が咲いた

「あっという間だったよ、パパ」
それが本物の証明だ
頑張ることが喜びになるとき
それが唯一本当に意味のある成績

(プレコーラス)
プレッシャーも赤点もない
ただ純粋な好奇心
あなたはそれを全部
自由で野生的なものに変えた

(コーラス)
アニメが先生になった
自分でドアを見つけたんだ
2時間があっという間に過ぎた
宿題じゃ絶対に感じられない喜び
今日学んだことより大切なのは
あなたが道を選んだという事実
アニメが先生 — そしてあなた自身も

(ブリッジ)
私は遠くの誰かのために
つらい日のことを書いていた
でもここ、このリビングで
あなたが遊ぶことを教えてくれた

正解の道は一つじゃない
成長の方法も一つじゃない
ただ、あなたの胸の中の火花
それだけがあなたのものだから

(ラストコーラス)
アニメが先生になった
そして私もまだ学んでいる
喜びを信じること、受け入れること
ドアを見つけて — また始めること
あなたの目の中に、授業がある
小さな我が子よ、あなたはもう十分すごい
アニメが先生 — そして私も

(アウトロ)
「サカモトって…英語の方がカッコよくない？」
うん。本当にそうだね。

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Hatchy

ジムトレーナー×クリエイター。36歳で倒れ「稼ぐより生きる」に気づく。稼げなくても幸せな40代の小さな仕事の育て方を発信中。投資・筋トレを実験中🔥 Gym trainer × creator in Japan. Burned out at 36. Now experimenting with side hustles, investing & fitness in my 40s. → note.com/hatchy99

これは、以前書いた「うまくいかない時」へのアンサーとなる歌です。

あの日、子どもは泣きながら、体を震わせながら帰ってきた。

翌日——子どもは自分から友達に歩み寄り、「この前はごめんね」と伝えた。

そこから全てが始まった。

仲直りできた。気持ちが通じ合えた。そして、そのぶつかり合いの中で、子どもは教室では学べないことを学んだ——人間関係の難しさ、相手の気持ちを想像すること、自分だけが世界の中心ではないということ。

人はぶつかり合って成長する。傷つけ合って、初めて自分の未熟さや不完全さを知る。そしてゆっくりと、視野が広くなっていく。

でも、一番心を動かされたのはこれだった。

自分から、謝れた。あの年齢で。

私は27歳まで、自分から謝ることができなかった。

プライドが邪魔をして、自分が常に正しいと思っていた。社会に出て、初めて教えてもらった一番大切なことは——スキルでも、マネジメント能力でもなかった。

間違ったら、ごめんなさいと、心を込めて伝えること。

能力がなくても、上に立つことはできる。でも、誠実さなしには、人と本当の仕事はできない。

あの日、子どもがしたことには、ものすごい葛藤と勇気が必要だったはずだ。それでも、やり遂げた。

本当に誇りに思う。

🎵 「ごめんね、って言えた日」

[Verse 1]
震えながら泣いて、帰ってきたね
何も聞かずに、そっとそばにいた
世界に打ちのめされることもある
でも、君の中に何かが残っていた

[Pre-Chorus]
次の日の朝、陽が静かに昇って
君は言葉を、自分で見つけた
真っ直ぐ相手を見つめて
たった一言が、空を変えた

[Chorus]
「ごめんね」——言うのが一番難しい言葉
でも君は言えた、自分で道を開いた
僕が27年かかってできたことを
君は今日、恐れを超えてやり遂げた
それは弱さじゃない、それが強さだ
一番きつい道を、君は歩ききった
君が誰になっていくか、誇りに思う
胸がいっぱいで、あふれそうだよ

[Verse 2]
ぶつかって、傷つけあって
人を必要とする意味を知っていく
痛みなしには育てない
でも、立ち上がることが全てだ

[Pre-Chorus]
僕は大人になるまで言えなかった
プライドが邪魔をして、一人だった
一番大切だと教えてもらったのは
才能じゃなく、心だった

[Chorus]
「ごめんね」——言うのが一番難しい言葉
でも君は言えた、自分で道を開いた
僕が27年かかってできたことを
君は今日、恐れを超えてやり遂げた
それは弱さじゃない、それが強さだ
一番きつい道を、君は歩ききった
君が誰になっていくか、誇りに思う
胸がいっぱいで、あふれそうだよ

[Bridge]
スキルも肩書きも、人を偉くしない
大切なのは、間違いに向き合うこと
自分の非を認めて、前へ進むこと
君は今日それを学んだ、道は開かれた

大切な人を傷つけることは許さない
どんな時も、必ず守る
でも今日、君が見せてくれたのは
本物の勇気だった

[Outro]
今日、君は成長した
今日、君は成長した
ちゃんと見てるよ
本当に誇りに思う

🔗 各プラットフォームはこちら：
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Hatchy

ジムトレーナー×クリエイター。36歳で倒れ「稼ぐより生きる」に気づく。稼げなくても幸せな40代の小さな仕事の育て方を発信中。投資・筋トレを実験中🔥 Gym trainer × creator in Japan. Burned out at 36. Now experimenting with side hustles, investing & fitness in my 40s. → note.com/hatchy99

That day, my child came home trembling, in tears.

The next day — they walked up to their friend and said, “I’m sorry about the other day.”

Everything started from there.

They made up. They reconnected. And in that moment of conflict, my child learned something no classroom can teach — how to navigate human relationships, how to feel another person’s pain, how to see beyond themselves.

We grow by clashing. We learn by hurting and being hurt. We discover our own immaturity, our own limits, our own incompleteness — and slowly, we expand our view of the world.

But what moved me most was this:

They apologized. On their own. At their age.

I couldn’t do that until I was 27.

I was too proud. Too certain I was right. It wasn’t until I entered the working world that someone taught me the most important lesson of my life — not a skill, not a strategy, not a management technique.

It was this: When you’re wrong, say sorry. With your whole heart.

You don’t need special talent to lead people. But without sincerity — without the courage to apologize — you cannot do meaningful work with others.

What my child did that day took enormous courage. Enormous inner conflict. And they did it anyway.

I’m so proud.

🎵 “The Day You Said Sorry”

[Verse 1]
You came home trembling, tears on your face
I didn’t ask, just gave you space
The world can knock you to the ground
But something in you... held its ground

[Pre-Chorus]
The next day came, the sun rose slow
You found the words I didn’t know
You walked up, looked them in the eye
Three little words that changed the sky

[Chorus]
“I’m sorry” — two words, so hard to say
But you said them, you found a way
At your age, doing what took me 27 years
You said sorry, through the fears
That’s not weakness, that’s your strength
You went the whole, the hardest length
I’m so proud of who you’re becoming
My heart is full, it’s overflowing

[Verse 2]
We clash and fall and hurt each other
We learn what it means to need another
You can’t grow up without the pain
But stepping up — that’s everything

[Pre-Chorus]
I couldn’t say it till I was grown
Too proud, too stubborn, too alone
The greatest skill they ever taught
Wasn’t talent — it was heart

[Chorus]
“I’m sorry” — two words, so hard to say
But you said them, you found a way
At your age, doing what took me 27 years
You said sorry, through the fears
That’s not weakness, that’s your strength
You went the whole, the hardest length
I’m so proud of who you’re becoming
My heart is full, it’s overflowing

[Bridge]
No skill, no title makes you great
It’s showing up — it’s never too late
To own your wrong and face the day
You learned that now — you’re on your way

I won’t let anyone hurt the ones I love
I’ll stand beside you, push comes to shove
But today you showed me something real
A kind of courage only the brave can feel

[Outro]
You grew today
You grew today
I see you
I’m so proud of you

🔗 Find me here:
note: https://note.com/hatchy99 / X: https://x.com/hatchy_notes / Threads: https://www.threads.com/@hatchy_notes / Substack:

Hatchy

ジムトレーナー×クリエイター。36歳で倒れ「稼ぐより生きる」に気づく。稼げなくても幸せな40代の小さな仕事の育て方を発信中。投資・筋トレを実験中🔥 Gym trainer × creator in Japan. Burned out at 36. Now experimenting with side hustles, investing & fitness in my 40s. → note.com/hatchy99

This is my first paid post on Substack — and I want to start by giving you a full picture of everything I’m currently building.

I’ve been a freelance content creator since 2017, sharing blog posts, YouTube videos, and podcasts with audiences around the world. In future paid posts, I’ll be going deeper behind the scenes — the failures, the wins, the things I wish I’d known, and the strategies you can actually steal for yourself. Stuff I don’t talk about in my regular content.

But first: here’s the complete map of what I make.

Why I create across so many formats and topics

You’ve probably heard the advice: pick one niche and go deep. I get it. Focus works. One channel, one category, one audience — that’s how content grows fast.

But I made a different choice.

I’m in my 40s, and I want to capture what this decade actually feels like — the real emotions, the real struggles, the real discoveries — while I’m still living them. If I wait until my 50s to look back and tell these stories, they’ll be filtered through a different version of me. The rawness will be gone.

So yes, my growth might be slower. But I’d rather nurture many small things with intention than optimize one thing for speed. That’s the whole philosophy behind everything I do.

The content I create is my legacy — my digital clones, working 24 hours a day even when I’m not.

Two writing platforms. Seven YouTube channels. Fifteen podcast shows. One person.

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