Naruto Was More Than Just an Anime to Me

I never thought I would be someone who was into anime. Honestly, I probably never would have watched Naruto if a good friend hadn’t recommended it to me.

I decided to give it a shot, and I was hooked.

Since then, I’ve watched every episode twice, and even today, I still go back and watch certain episodes. Somewhere along the way, Naruto became more than just a show. The lessons throughout the series started becoming principles I applied to my own life.

Two of the biggest are teamwork and “Believe it.”

The Meaning of Teamwork

One of the biggest things Naruto taught me was the importance of having a team.

Throughout the series, you see characters who are strong individually, but their greatest accomplishments rarely happen alone. Everyone brings different strengths and weaknesses to the table.

I’ve carried that mentality into my family life and my career.

At home, I believe it takes a team to raise a family. You’re not supposed to carry every responsibility by yourself. Everyone has a role, and you’re working toward something bigger than any one person.

I approach work the same way. Individual success can only take you so far. Having people around you who are working toward the same goal can take everyone further.

Being part of a team also isn’t just about what others can do for you. It’s about asking what you can bring to the team and how you can help the people around you succeed.

To me, teamwork isn’t about getting less credit. It’s about accomplishing more together.

“Believe It”

When I first started watching Naruto, “Believe it” was just Naruto’s catchphrase. As I got older, those two words started meaning something completely different to me.

To me, “Believe it” means your word means something.

When I tell someone I’m going to do something, I want them to know they can count on me. It doesn’t matter who it is. I believe honesty, accountability, and keeping your word will take you a long way in life.

There was even a point when I would write words of affirmation in my notebook every day, and “Believe it” was one of them.

But there’s another side to those words that has become even more important:

Believe in yourself.

Naruto spends so much of his life being doubted and underestimated. But he believes in what he can accomplish before anyone else does.

That’s something I’ve tried to carry into my own life. People may question what you’re capable of, things won’t always go as planned, and sometimes the hardest person to convince is yourself.

But if you set your mind to something and are willing to put the work behind it, you have to believe you’re capable of getting there.

More Than a Show

It’s funny that a show I probably never would have watched without a friend’s recommendation ended up having this kind of impact on me.

I’ve watched hundreds of episodes, some multiple times, but what stayed with me most wasn’t the fights or the jutsu. It was the lessons behind them.

Work as a team. Keep your word. Be accountable. Believe in the people around you. And most importantly, believe in yourself.

That’s what Naruto means to me.

Believe it.