Japanese folks usually espouse gaman, but it can be positive or negative (“We must teach the youth to gaman throughout their lives,” or “Oh well, shoganai, we might as well just gaman [because there’s no other option].”). Non-Japanese folks sometimes admire gaman but often say that the Japanese go too far with it, claiming that the Japanese use gaman as an excuse to avoid resolving uncomfortable situations.

I use gaman flexibly: as inspiration for strength and discipline when I need that mindset to persevere through difficult, but potentially rewarding, situations; or as an idea to be rejected when I’ve explored all other options and found no acceptable alternative but to move on.