Cup Noodles launched on September 18, 1971. Its 55th anniversary connects this quote to a concrete invention and the work behind it.
ひらめきは執念から生まれる
Hirameki wa shūnen kara umareru.
Inspiration comes from tenacity.
Momofuku Andō · 安藤百福 (Andō Momofuku)
Nissin founder and inventor of instant noodles
Nissin’s history quotes Andō while recounting Cup Noodles’ development. One breakthrough was to lower the cup over the noodles, solving a manufacturing problem. His point: sustained attention to a problem can produce a new idea.
Language note: ひらめき (hirameki): a flash of inspiration. 執念 (shūnen): tenacity or persistent determination. 生まれる (umareru): be born or arise.
Which problem might reward another experiment or a different approach?
DJW practice example:
考え続けるうちに、新しいアイデアが生まれた。
Kangaetsuzukeru uchi ni, atarashii aidea ga umareta.
As I kept thinking, a new idea emerged.
Sources:
Nissin — Momofuku Andō chronicle, Cup Noodles development: https://www.nissin.com/jp/company/chronicle/