How Shohei Ohtani Used the 9-Square Grid to Become the Best Player in Baseball

What Is the 9-Square Grid That Ohtani Used?

The 9-square grid, also called a mandala chart, is a planning tool from the Harada Method. It is literally what it sounds like: a square divided into nine equal sections, arranged in a 3-by-3 pattern.

The center square holds your central goal, the one big ambition you are building toward. Surrounding that central square are 8 outer squares, one for each major life domain or dimension of the goal. Within each of those 8 outer squares, you write 8 specific actions or sub-goals. The result is a single page that contains 1 central goal plus 8 pillars plus 64 concrete actions.

Ohtani's grid, filled out when he was a first-year student at Hanamaki Higashi High School, had his center goal written plainly: to be drafted by all 8 teams in Japan's two professional baseball leagues (the Central League and Pacific League). This sounds aspirational, even improbable. But it was not a vague dream. It was supported by 8 specific pillars and 64 actions that broke down exactly what it would take to achieve that level of play.

For a concrete example, see [_startup founder goals_](https://open64.us/goals/career/startup-founder-goals-examples).

What Were the 8 Pillars of Ohtani's Grid?

Ohtani's grid organized his central goal across 8 dimensions of development. This structure reflects Harada's insight that high achievement requires growth across multiple fronts, not tunnel vision on a single skill.

The 8 pillars in Ohtani's grid were: pitching, batting, fielding, physical training, mental toughness, character, human qualities, and luck. Notice the mix. Three pillars are purely technical baseball skills. Two pillars are physical and mental conditioning. Three pillars are non-technical: character, human qualities, and luck.

Harada's method is built on the belief that an athlete who is gifted but lazy, or talented but lacks discipline, or skilled but treats teammates poorly, will not reach the top. Ohtani's grid reflects this holistic philosophy. His goal to be drafted by all 8 teams was not just about arm speed and batting average. It was also about becoming the kind of person that teams wanted to invest in.

The inclusion of "luck" is worth noting. It is not mystical. In Harada's framework, luck is a category for actions you control that increase the probability of serendipity: showing up early, staying injury-free, being available when opportunities arise, and making choices that put you in the right place at the right time.

For a concrete example, see [_teacher goals_](https://open64.us/goals/education/high-school-teacher-goals-examples).

What Specific Actions Did Ohtani Write in Each Pillar?

This is where the grid becomes actionable. Ohtani did not write vague aspirations in each pillar. He wrote measurable targets and specific daily habits.

Under pitching, Ohtani included targets like hitting 160 km/h (99 mph) on his fastball. Under batting, he tracked batting average and the number of days per week he would swing. Under fielding, he wrote specific drills for fielding grounders and throwing accuracy. Under physical training, he had daily routines for strength, flexibility, and conditioning. Under mental toughness, he included visualization and focus work. Under character, he wrote goals like "greet people properly" and "keep my living space clean." These are not poetic. They are concrete.

The magic of the grid is that each of these 64 actions was small enough to do every day, but collectively they aimed at the central goal. If you hit every action in your 8 pillars day after day, week after week, the big goal becomes inevitable.

Ohtani's approach also reveals a key insight: he did not just measure baseball statistics. He measured habits and character. This is Harada's original philosophy applied directly. You cannot control whether scouts notice you on a given day. You can control whether you trained hard, showed up on time, and conducted yourself with integrity.

[Try Open64 free — build your own 64-action grid →](https://open64.us)

How Did Ohtani's Grid Translate Into Real Results?

Ohtani's grid was not a lucky coincidence. It was a roadmap that he actually followed.

As a high school player, Ohtani achieved the central goal. He was drafted by all 8 NPB teams in the 2011 draft, an unprecedented honor. This did not happen because he filled out a piece of paper. It happened because he used the grid to guide his daily decisions, and then he executed on those decisions with discipline.

He then moved to Japan's professional leagues, where he continued refining his performance. His pitching became dominant. His batting was consistent. By his late teens and early twenties, he was already recognized as a generational talent. When he moved to Major League Baseball in 2018, he became only the second player in MLB history to be both an elite pitcher and an elite hitter in the same season. The grid did not create his talent. But it channeled his talent into achievement.

Why Did Ohtani's Coach Use the 9-Square Grid?

Ohtani's high school coach, Hiroshi Sasaki, introduced the 64-chart to players at Hanamaki Higashi High School. Sasaki was trained in the Harada Method and believed that young athletes benefited from explicitly writing out their goals and breaking them into daily actions.

Sasaki understood something important: a 15-year-old has dreams, but most do not have a structured plan. Filling out the grid forced Ohtani to think like a coach, not just like a player. It forced him to answer hard questions: What is my central ambition? What are the different dimensions I need to develop? What are the specific actions that move me forward in each dimension?

This is not motivation-by-inspiration. It is motivation-by-clarity. When you write out 64 specific actions, you remove the ambiguity about what "trying hard" means. You also remove the excuse that you did not know what to do. The grid becomes a contract with yourself.

Can You Use Ohtani's Grid Structure for Your Own Goals?

The structure is not secret, and it is not dependent on being a baseball player. You can use the same 9-square grid for any goal worth pursuing: building a business, losing weight, mastering a skill, or changing careers.

The process is simple: Start with your central goal. What is the one thing you want to achieve in the next 1 to 3 years? Write it in the center square. Then name 8 pillars that support that goal. These could be skill-based, habit-based, or domain-specific, depending on your goal. Then, for each pillar, write 8 specific actions. Make them small enough to do daily or weekly. Make them measurable.

Ottani's grid is now displayed at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. It is one of the most valuable pieces of original sports equipment in the world, not because of the paper or the handwriting, but because it reveals how a generational talent actually planned his development.

[Try Open64 free — build your own 64-action grid →](https://open64.us)

How Does Open64 Help You Build Your Own Grid?

Open64 is a free Chrome extension that brings the 9-square grid to your digital workflow. Instead of printing a sheet and pinning it to a wall, you can build your grid, refine it over time, and see it every time you open a new tab.

The extension walks you through the process of identifying your central goal, naming your 8 pillars, and brainstorming your 64 actions. It mirrors the same guided reflection that Harada used with students and that Sasaki used with Ohtani. Once your grid is built, it stays visible, accessible, and easy to adjust as your priorities shift.

Ohtani's grid worked because he saw it every day. It shaped his decisions, his training choices, and his priorities. A grid you build and then lose is just a piece of paper. A grid you see constantly, every time you open your browser, becomes a working system.

[Try Open64 free — build your own 64-action grid →](https://open64.us)

Frequently Asked Questions