My philosophy is my learning process. Until you die, you must

In the luminous words of Miyavi, the Japanese musician and artist known for his boundless creativity and daring spirit, we find a truth that transcends music, art, and even time itself: “My philosophy is my learning process. Until you die, you must evolve and improve.” These words strike like a chord resonating through the soul. They are not simply an artist’s motto—they are a hymn to growth, a vow to the eternal process of becoming. For in this life, there is no true stillness, only the illusion of it. To live, truly live, is to learn; to learn is to evolve, and to evolve is to honor the divine motion that breathes through all existence.

When Miyavi speaks of learning as his philosophy, he echoes the wisdom of the ancients. For what is philosophy but the love of wisdom, and what is wisdom but the humble recognition that one has never learned enough? The philosopher does not seek final answers; he seeks understanding, ever deeper, ever purer. In the same way, Miyavi declares that life itself is the learning process, that the path of mastery is not a destination but an eternal journey. Until death closes the eyes, one must strive to improve, to expand beyond yesterday’s limits, to refine both the skill of the hand and the wisdom of the heart.

The ancient sages of every land have taught this same principle under different skies. The great Confucius said, “If you make a mistake and do not correct it, that is called a mistake.” He understood, as Miyavi does, that growth demands humility—the willingness to admit one’s imperfection and to seek betterment. Similarly, the philosopher Socrates, when asked what he knew, replied, “I know that I know nothing.” In this humility lay his strength, for he remained forever open, forever learning. The wise of old saw that stagnation is death, and that the spirit that refuses to evolve becomes as still and lifeless as a dried leaf in the wind.

Look to the story of Leonardo da Vinci, whose restless mind refused to accept the limits of his time. Painter, sculptor, scientist, engineer—he never ceased to learn, to observe, to question. In his notebooks, we see the restless hunger of a man who knew that perfection was never to be achieved, only approached. His art, his inventions, his endless curiosity—all were manifestations of the same truth Miyavi proclaims: that the learning process is not a means to an end, but a way of life. For da Vinci, as for all seekers, the journey was the purpose.

In saying “Until you die, you must evolve and improve,” Miyavi reminds us that the process of evolution does not belong to nature alone—it belongs to the human soul. Just as the tree reaches for the sun, we are called to stretch toward our own potential. The moment we stop reaching, we begin to wither. The moment we stop learning, we begin to fade. Evolution is not a matter of changing what we are, but of becoming more fully ourselves—of polishing the rough stone of the spirit until it shines with truth. Even the hardships of life become teachers, for the soul that learns from pain grows deeper, more compassionate, more wise.

This philosophy demands courage. To evolve is to shed old skins, to leave behind the comfort of certainty, to face the unknown without fear. Many resist this, clinging to what they already know. But as Miyavi teaches through both his art and his words, the courage to transform is the mark of the living. The artist who repeats himself dies creatively; the spirit that clings to the past dies inwardly. To improve is to breathe anew each day—to awaken and say, “Today, I will become something more.”

So, O listener and seeker of wisdom, let this teaching dwell within your heart: make your philosophy your learning process. Let each failure teach you patience, each success teach you gratitude. Learn from the elders, but also from the young; learn from your work, your solitude, your silence. Seek no perfection but the perfection of growth. For life itself is the great teacher, and death only the final lesson.

Remember always the words of Miyavi, spoken with the simplicity of truth: “Until you die, you must evolve and improve.” Let these words be your compass. Evolve in knowledge, yes—but also in kindness. Improve not only your craft, but your soul. For the one who learns without ceasing lives beyond time itself, carried forever on the winds of growth. And when your final day comes, may it find you still learning, still changing, still alive in spirit—proof that you have lived not merely to exist, but to become.