Shohei Ohtani’s dominance in Major League Baseball is often described as generational, but his success isn’t merely the result of raw talent. It is the product of a rigorous, visual goal-setting framework known as the Mandala Chart (or Harada Method).
While Ohtani used it to become a world-class “two-way” player, the same logic applies to any high-stakes business environment where clarity and execution are the difference between a vision and a daydream.
Here is how you can apply the “Ohtani Way” to achieve your most ambitious professional targets.
1. Set Your Main Goal
The center of the entire process is your Core Objective. This must be a singular, high-level achievement that feels both audacious and definitive. In high school, Ohtani’s core goal was “to be drafted #1 by eight MLB teams.”
In a corporate context, this shouldn’t be a vague desire to “grow the company.” It should be a specific, measurable milestone.
Business Example: When Starbucks faced a massive slump in 2008, Howard Schultz’s core goal wasn’t just “profitability.” It was “Restoring the Starbucks Experience.” This served as the North Star for every subsequent operational decision.
2. Write Your Main Goal In A 9×9 Grid
The physical act of mapping goals is crucial for cognitive clarity. You begin with a 3×3 square at the center of a larger 9×9 grid. Place your Main Goal in the very center cell.
By placing the goal in a grid rather than a linear list, you force your brain to view the objective as a central hub supported by a network of interconnected systems. This visual structure prevents “tunnel vision,” ensuring you don’t pursue the main goal while neglecting the pillars that make it sustainable.
3. Add 8 Support Goals Around It
Once your main goal is set, you must identify the eight fundamental areas required to achieve it. These are your “Support Goals.” If your main goal is at the center, these eight categories fill the cells immediately surrounding it.
For Ohtani, these included technical skills like “Fastball” and “Breaking Ball,” but also mental and character-based categories like “Luck,” “Grit,” and “Personality.”
Business Example: A tech startup aiming for a Series A Funding Round might identify eight support pillars such as: Product-Market Fit, Scalable Architecture, Unit Economics, Talent Acquisition, Brand Authority, Investor Relations, User Retention, and Regulatory Compliance.
4. Surround Each Support Goal By 8 Behaviors
This is where the “Ohtani Way” transforms from strategy into daily execution. Each of the eight support goals now becomes the center of its own 3×3 grid. You must then brainstorm eight specific, actionable behaviors for each support goal.
By the end of this exercise, you have 64 concrete actions that feed into your eight pillars, which in turn drive your main objective.
Actionability: “Be better at networking” is too vague. A behavior would be “Send three personalized LinkedIn notes to industry peers every Tuesday.”
The Power of Small Wins: This method breaks a massive, intimidating goal into tiny, manageable habits.
Business Example: Look at Toyota’s “Just-in-Time” production system. The high-level goal of efficiency is supported by a pillar like “Waste Reduction.” The specific behaviors at the frontline include “Standardized work sequences” and “Immediate machine shut-off if an error is detected.” Everyone knows exactly what to do at 9:00 AM to contribute to the global goal.
The brilliance of the Ohtani Way lies in its ability to bridge the gap between “The Big Idea” and “Monday Morning.” It acknowledges that while one person hits the home run, it is the 64 individual habits behind the scenes that actually swing the bat.
Draft the eight support goals for a specific business objective you are currently working toward.