The Kaizen Method For Improvement One Step At A Time
The Kaizen method is an improvement model that was first applied in the business world. However, it was so effective that it was adopted in many other areas. Today, it can be applied to virtually every aspect of life. This method was created in Japan with quality control as its purpose.
In one way or another , the Kaizen method originates from Taoism. The word “kaizen” means “change for the better”. It is not about getting better as an individual but as a team. It was created from an altruistic perspective and aims to create a better world.
For the Kaizen method, improvement is not a specific goal, but an ongoing process and a lifestyle. Many believe that it is this method that has made Japan the great power they became after the devastation at the end of World War II. Although it is fantastically useful in business processes, we will focus here on its application on a more personal level.
Start by realizing that if you improve 1% of your life every day, you will make an incredible change in the medium to long term perspective. Kaizen is based on the idea that it is smarter to start small and make continuous improvements instead of setting high goals that you may never achieve due to their size and difficulty.
This method is very effective because it removes two major obstacles to change. The first is the fear of change. Since the goal is not major changes, you will be less anxious. You will also have more realistic expectations and therefore you will experience fewer disappointments.
In addition, the Kaizen method helps prevent you from postponing things, which means postponing the change. If it feels like you have a huge task ahead of you, you are more likely to postpone the beginning of it. You know the conditions that will deter you and this method of continuous change removes that obstacle so that it does not hinder the change.
This method teaches you to set small but continuous goals and challenges. These goals are so accessible that it is virtually impossible to fail. If you want to pay off all your debts, for example, this method encourages you to save a small amount of money every day.
This method is based on the “one step at a time” principle. The philosophy is that by focusing on a single step, you can go very far.
The level of difficulty will increase gradually and you will progress slowly but surely. The key here, however, is not to see it as a must. You should only take one more step if you feel ready for it.
The only thing you commit to through this method is to get better at something by slowly but surely improving it every day. Of course, you need to be aware that some goals take longer to achieve. But that does not matter. What matters is that you work towards achieving it every day and it should make you feel better.
The Kaizen method invites us to avoid stagnation; not to let a day pass without improving something. The important thing here is that you do not focus on the ultimate goal, but on the process itself. This method also tells us to promote a lifestyle where we are constantly improving ourselves. This will make us feel like a winner all the time.
Nor is it just about the satisfaction of achieving one goal a day. It’s about how this is an effective way to deal with big problems. Japan itself emerged from a terrible crisis by applying this philosophy one step at a time.
You can apply this method to any area of your life. It can be about weight loss or your love life. Once you begin to realize this, you will feel the change. You will experience it as if you have more control over your life and you will be more optimistic about living it.
