The Kaizen Method: One Step At A Time
The Kaizen method is a continuous improvement model that was initially applied to the business world. However, it was so functional that little by little it was introduced into other areas and, nowadays, it is applied in practically every aspect of life.
It originated in Japan, in the area of the concept of quality management. One way or another, the Kaizen method has its roots in Taoism.
The word kaizen etymologically means “action to correct for a benefit”. This benefit refers to a collective contribution, not an individual asset. In this sense, this method is conceived from an altruistic perspective. A person improves himself day after day to make the world better.
In the Kaizen method, improvement is not a one-off achievement, but an ongoing process, a way of life. For many, it was this method that managed to transform Japan into one of the world’s great powers, after being completely devastated at the end of World War II.
While it is very useful in business processes, we will focus on its application to personal life.
The Kaizen Method and Constant Improvement
This method is based on the concept that if you improve your life 1% every day, in the medium and long term you will achieve a great transformation. Kaizen is based on the idea that it’s smarter to make small but continuous improvements, rather than proposing big changes that often don’t materialize precisely because of their size.
This method has proven to be very effective because it eliminates two major obstacles to change. The first: fear of change. As the proposal is not to introduce big changes, the anguish is less. It also has more realistic expectations, so there are fewer disappointments.
On the other hand, the Kaizen method helps to avoid the common tendency to procrastinate, that is, to postpone change indefinitely. If we feel that we have a huge task ahead of us, we often put off starting it. We know it can demand so much from us that we feel intimidated. In this method of continuous improvement, this factor is eliminated.
so small it’s impossible to fail
The magic key of the Kaizen method is setting small but constant goals or challenges. They are goals so accessible to our possibilities that it is practically impossible to fail. For example, if what you want is to pay off all overdue debt, kaizen invites you to save a small amount each day.
This model is based on the principle of going step by step. This philosophy says that by setting the focus on each step, you will go far. Thus, the difficulty also has to increase little by little. On the other hand, there is no obligation to do so. You only need to increase it if you really want to. It is not necessary to raise the difficulty level.
The only compromise in the Kaizen method is to improve in some aspect, in a small proportion, every day. Of course, you should be aware that some goals will take time to complete, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you worked every day to reach them and it will make you feel better.
A chain of achievements
The Kaizen method will not let us fall into inertia, seeing the day go by without having improved anything. The important thing about the method is that you don’t focus on the end goal, you focus on the process.
This model encourages us, above all, to cultivate a lifestyle in which there will always be improvement, advancement. This will make us feel like winners very often.
We will not only gain the feeling of satisfaction for the goal accomplished every day, but also the fact that this is really a practical way to solve big problems. Japan itself came out of a serious crisis by applying this philosophy. They didn’t do it overnight, but they did it with honors.
This method can be applied to any area of life. From goals to lose weight to goals to be happier. Only with the beginning of implementation is it possible for you to feel different, for you to experience more control over your life and greater optimism to live it.
