Most of us perceive change as a difficult challenge and usually, it doesn’t end the way we want it to. Take, for instance, New Year’s resolutions, which tend to result in disappointment more often than not. The average person repeats the same resolution for a decade without achieving success. Those who manage to uphold their resolutions usually do so only after breaking their promises year after year. But despite popular opinion – change doesn’t have to be fatiguing or unsuccessful. It doesn’t need to be done in a dire situation. We can do it at every moment in our lives and improve constantly. 

The Kaizen is about small steps to accomplish our goals. It’s an ancient philosophy captured in Tao Te Ching’s powerful statement: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Even though it’s old wisdom, it’s still practical and useful in modern times. We can use it to change our bad habits, like smoking or unhealthy eating, and start making good habits, like exercising or reading books. It takes time, but this is how we’re learning to be more patient and disciplined. You can’t see the changes right away, but they’re happening. In the end, it’s rewarding and worth all of our efforts. 

Kaizen is a Japanese term that means “good change” aka “continuous improvement”. It has its roots in Japan’s post-World War II era, when the country was trying to rebuild its economy and find ways to increase productivity and quality. It was first incorporated into a manufacturing system by Toyota, and many other industries have since followed this path. Masaaki Imai wrote a book “Kaizen, The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success” which was the first publication to introduce the Lean philosophy to the world and reveals the secrets behind the success of Toyota and other Japanese companies. Although it was used for companies, you can implement it in your daily life and I will explain to you how. 

We are talking about really small steps that seem trivial at first, but they’re actually effective. And you have to keep in mind for Kaizen to work, we should be seeking out continual improvement. Let’s start with the first strategy, which is asking small questions. Our brain loves questions. For example, you want to start writing. Ask yourself “Where do I prefer to write, on a computer or paper?”. The answer will appear, and then another question comes to mind: “What would I like to write about?”. Maybe you want to write about your hobby and share your experience or a fictional story. More and more questions will appear, and you can work with that. Also, remember to not make the question big, like “How to become a famous writer?”. It triggers fear, and it’s making you quit what you were planning to do. Another thing is to try not to discourage yourself when the answer doesn’t appear immediately. It’s normal that sometimes it takes a few days or more. At that moment, just try to write about anything every day and start doing it small. What I mean is, write for 1 minute, the next day for 2 minutes, and day by day increase your time. Try not to quit; you will always find a short amount of time in your life to do something you want to be good at. It’s very important to take small actions instead of big ones. Your appetite will increase more for continued success. Notice every small problem that may appear along the way. It’s better to work on the smallest one than the biggest. Analyze and correct it. You can ask your friends, family, or anyone for their point of view. And the most important thing is to do it systematically. Don’t underestimate the little things. Believe me, it’s much easier this way. If it’s difficult for you to start, try to imagine yourself doing it and bring positive feelings into it. Day by day, let your thoughts go in this direction: how worth it would be to start doing what you want to include in your life. See the possibility of the great effect it could bring you and how proud it can make you. Don’t let negative thoughts get in your way; change doesn’t have to be scary. Try to think of it as a great opportunity to develop. 

The philosophy of Kaizen also teaches you how to enjoy the small moments in life. It’s letting you slow down for a bit, which makes you feel more at peace. Without rushing things, you are more capable of continuing what you started. And remember, Kaizen is a process that is never done. Once your goal has been reached, you can expand your potential. And it’s not only about improving your skills. It can help you change the way you feel or think. So, any changes you want to put into your life, Kaizen is here to help you out.

Aleksandra Szumielewicz

Sources:

Robert Maurer: One Small Step Can Change Your Life: Using the Japanese Technique of Kaizen to Achieve Lasting Success.

Wikipedia.org: Masaaki Imai

Tutorialspoint: What is Kaizen in Quality Management?