How to Read “Three years of selling”
Uridashi sannen
Meaning of “Three years of selling”
“Three years of selling” means it takes three years for a business to get on track after starting.
Even when you open a new shop or start a business, profits don’t come immediately.
It takes at least three years to gain customer trust and achieve stable management.
This proverb is used to caution entrepreneurs not to rush for quick results.
The first year might bring losses. The second year gradually builds customers. The third year finally brings stable management.
This shows the realistic path of business.
Even today, when planning new ventures, people often think of the first three years as an investment period.
The wisdom of this proverb still lives on.
It teaches the importance of steadily building trust rather than rushing for early profits.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records exist about the origin of “Three years of selling.”
However, it likely emerged from merchant culture during the Edo period.
“Uridashi” (selling out) means starting a business or opening a new shop.
The specific period of “three years” shows the practical nature of this saying.
During the Edo period, merchants had a system called “decchi bōkō” (apprenticeship).
Young people spent over ten years learning the basics of business.
From that experience, people understood that owning your own shop, gaining customers, and building trust required at least three years.
The number “three years” often appears in Japanese culture as a milestone.
There’s another proverb, “Three years on a stone,” showing three years as the minimum time to achieve something.
In the uncertain world of business, ancestors expressed the importance of building a solid foundation without rushing.
They used the concrete number “three years” to convey this wisdom.
Usage Examples
- I opened a new café, but I plan to continue without rushing, thinking “Three years of selling”
- The first year as a freelancer is tough, but they say “Three years of selling,” so I believe it’s still ahead
Universal Wisdom
Behind “Three years of selling” lies the eternal theme of human impatience and perseverance.
When we start something new, we’re filled with hope.
But that hope often comes with optimistic expectations that results will come quickly.
When reality doesn’t meet expectations, people feel disappointed and give up.
This human nature doesn’t change with time.
Our ancestors knew the path to success is never smooth.
Trust can’t be built in a day. Skills aren’t acquired overnight. Customer relationships need time to grow.
They understood this deeply.
By showing the specific period of “three years,” they tried to calm anxious hearts and convey the importance of long-term thinking.
The deep wisdom of this proverb isn’t just the simple fact that success needs time.
It’s understanding what happens during that time.
Three years is time for trial and error, learning from failures, and gradual improvement.
It’s not just a waiting period but precious time for growth.
This proverb quietly yet powerfully teaches the truth that gaining real ability and earning trust requires the element of time.
When AI Hears This
From a statistical perspective, “Three years of selling” has a serious flaw in how data is collected.
This proverb was created by observing only those who lasted three years.
Imagine 100 people start businesses. Fifty quit in year one. Thirty more disappear in year two.
Only 20 people reach year three.
These 20 certainly look like they “succeeded by enduring three years.”
But actually, 80 massive failures were excluded from the statistics from the start.
The proverb creates the illusion that “if you endure three years, success rate is 100%.”
The harsh reality is “only 20 out of 100 last three years—a 20% success rate.”
Another problem: among those 20 who survived three years, some were just lucky or succeeded due to other factors.
Their success might not be from “enduring three years” but from location, product quality, or funding.
But looking only at survivors, the one thing they all share is “they continued three years.”
This creates a reversal of causation where “continuation” becomes the cause of success.
This illusion appears frequently in modern business books too.
Analyzing common traits of successful people only studies survivors, missing the truly important lessons from failures.
Lessons for Today
“Three years of selling” teaches you the value of taking a long-term perspective in a culture that demands instant results.
Modern society overemphasizes “getting quick results.”
On social media, people become famous overnight. Stories of startups growing huge in short periods overflow everywhere.
But those are exceptions. Most success stands on steady accumulation.
This proverb teaches that when you challenge something new, not getting results in the first year isn’t failure.
Still struggling in year two? That’s just part of growth.
What matters is having the patience to view things on a three-year timeline.
This wisdom applies beyond entrepreneurship—to career building, skill acquisition, and relationship development.
Gaining trust at a new workplace takes time. Mastering new skills takes time.
Don’t rush. If you feel anxious now because you can’t see results, that’s part of the normal process.
Believe in yourself three years from now. Steadily accumulate what you can do today.
Time is your ally.
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