How to Read “Good fortune and misfortune depend on the person, not on the day”
Kikkyo wa hito ni yorite hi ni yorazu
Meaning of “Good fortune and misfortune depend on the person, not on the day”
This proverb means that happiness and unhappiness in life are not determined by whether a day is lucky or unlucky. Instead, they depend on a person’s own actions and attitude.
In Japan, people have long followed the custom of checking calendar dates for good or bad fortune. This proverb warns against such superstitious thinking.
It teaches that proactive effort and sincere behavior are what truly shape our destiny.
The saying rejects the idea that success comes on lucky days like taian or failure comes on unlucky days like butsumetsu. Instead, it emphasizes that sincere effort matters regardless of the date.
Even today, some people limit their actions by worrying too much about fortune-telling or superstitions. This proverb delivers a powerful message: “You create your own destiny.”
Rather than agonizing over which day to choose, this saying reminds us to value our actions in this very moment.
Origin and Etymology
The exact source of this proverb has several theories. Most scholars believe it formed in Japan under the influence of ancient Chinese thought.
The Confucian idea of “doing one’s utmost in human affairs” and the Buddhist concept of cause and effect likely shaped this saying.
“Kikkyo” means good fortune and misfortune. “Hito ni yorite” means depending on a person’s actions. “Hi ni yorazu” means not being influenced by whether a day is good or bad.
From ancient times through the medieval period, Japan was strongly influenced by onmyodo, a system that emphasized calendar fortune. People chose dates carefully for weddings, construction starts, and travel.
Checking the calendar for lucky days before important events was considered common sense.
However, a reflective philosophy emerged questioning this practice. People began asking whether what truly mattered was not the quality of the day but the quality of one’s actions.
This proverb expresses exactly that way of thinking. Rather than leaving fate to external factors, it teaches that our own actions and attitudes determine our future.
This message emphasizing human agency spread widely throughout Japanese culture.
Usage Examples
- Since good fortune and misfortune depend on the person, not on the day, I decided to follow my own path without worrying about superstitions
- Rather than waiting for a lucky day on the calendar, let’s start today with the spirit of good fortune and misfortune depend on the person, not on the day
Universal Wisdom
Humans have a deep desire to blame something else for their anxiety about an uncertain future. Calendar fortune, fortune-telling, and superstitions are convenient.
They provide a ready excuse: “If I fail, it’s because the day was unlucky.” But this also means surrendering control of your life to external forces.
This proverb has been passed down through generations because it gently guides us while seeing through this human weakness. Blaming fate on external factors is easy.
But you cannot truly live your life that way. This saying conveys a harsh yet hopeful truth: both good and bad fortune ultimately come from the accumulation of your own actions.
Our ancestors understood something important. People are creatures who seek excuses, yet they also wish to carve out their own destiny.
The weak heart that wants to rely on calendar fortune and the strong will that still wants to stand on its own feet. Being human means living with both of these.
That is why this proverb continues to give us courage across the ages.
When AI Hears This
This proverb brilliantly addresses “attribution error” in human cognitive systems. Psychologist Julian Rotter proposed the locus of control theory.
It divides people into internal types who see causes “within themselves” and external types who see causes in “luck or environment.”
Interestingly, large-scale tracking studies of thousands of people show that internal types earn about 20 percent more on average and enjoy better health.
Why does such a difference emerge? It comes down to whether you focus on “changeable variables.” When someone fails an exam and thinks “today was an unlucky day,” they cannot change anything.
But someone who thinks “I didn’t study enough” can take concrete action for next time. Internal control is a thinking method that transforms problems into “solvable equations.”
Even more noteworthy is that this thought pattern can be learned. Cognitive behavioral therapy research shows that just eight weeks of training can shift locus of control from external to internal.
When this proverb declares “not on the day,” it presents an extremely practical cognitive strategy. It tells us to treat fate as a variable, not a fixed value.
The human brain tends to shift responsibility to external factors when left unchecked. This saying offers scientifically sound advice to consciously correct that tendency.
Lessons for Today
Modern society overflows with information that encourages leaving fate to external forces. Fortune-telling posts on social media and lucky charms are everywhere.
This proverb teaches us the importance of holding the steering wheel of our own lives amid this flood of information.
What matters is not waiting for perfect timing but sincerely accumulating what you can do now. When starting something new, considering a career change, or struggling with relationships, we tend to postpone action thinking “now is bad timing.”
But perhaps it is not a matter of timing but a matter of your determination and action.
Of course, preparation and planning are necessary. However, using them as excuses to stay still versus taking an imperfect first step creates vastly different life outcomes.
This proverb teaches us that destiny is not something to wait for but something to create. Your choices and actions today shape who you become tomorrow.
Not the quality of the day but your own attitude is the key to making your life shine.
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