Kaizen: The Art Of Continuous Self Improvement

Have you ever tried to figure out an easier way to achieve your goals? A method through which you do not have to go through excessive stress and so much pain?

It might seem impossible to achieve something big without excessive stress and hard work.
But what if I told you that there is a method through which you can achieve whatever you want in life and that too with ease.

It is known as the Kaizen method. A method for easy goal achievements and continuous self-improvement.

What is the Kaizen method?

Kaizen is a Japanese term in which ‘Kai’ stands for ‘change,’ and ‘Zen’ stands for ‘good.’ When combined, Kaizen means “change for the good.”

It is a method through which you trick your brain into thinking that it is much easier to reach the goal, and it all happens due to multiple minor improvements instead of a significant improvement.

Japan used the same method to increase its economy after World War II. Now, the country is one of the biggest economies in the whole world. Another highly successful example that uses the same method is the car manufacturing company, Toyota.

What is the Kaizen process?

Kaizen is the breaking down of a big goal into minute goals. Those goals could even be so small that you might feel awful about them. For example, you can set a target of meditating for 1 minute daily to reach a goal of meditating 30 minutes daily.

The tiny goals might seem to be super easy, yet, they are super-effective.

Given below is a breakdown of how you can use the Kaizen method to achieve something or improve at something:-

1. The first and foremost step is to set a goal for something.
2. The next step is to create a structure for achieving the goal, and that system would have a combination of regular actions.
3. Now, you have to break down the structure into the smallest possible steps.
4. In the last step, you have to bring small positive changes in the system to achieve the goal.

Here is an example that will make it much clear to you:-

• Suppose you want to lose weight but feel it difficult to work out. Thus, your aim becomes to hit the gym regularly.
• Now, you have to make the structure for achieving the goal. The structure, in this case, might be to do 30 minutes of walk, 10 push-ups, and 20 squats daily.
• The next step is to break it into the smallest possible actions. In this case, it might be 2 minutes of walk, 2 push-ups, and 2 squats daily.
• Further, you can bring positive changes by increasing 2 minutes of walk, 1 push-up, and 1 squat daily.

You can apply it in the following areas:-

• Business improvement and expansion
• Healthcare
• Psychotherapy
• Life coaching
• Personal development
• Reaching goals through actions

Types of Kaizen

There are two types of Kaizen:-

1. Yutori Kaizen
It is a Kaizen in which a person gets direct relief. for example, including 1 hour of relaxation time in the daily schedule is Yutori Kaizen.

2. Karakuri Kaizen
It is a Kaizen that requires no external power such as fuel or electricity. A great example of it would be the Karakuri dolls of Japan.

How does Kaizen work?

Our brain tends to run away from tasks that are a bit difficult or uncomfortable.

What Kaizen does is that it shifts the focus of your brain from the long journey of achieving something to the small steps of the process. The steps are so achievable that your mind feels excited to perform them, and you end up accomplishing the goals.

Further, a habit builds up, and you start enjoying the process.

Conclusion

The Kaizen process might be slow, but it works effectively. It slowly and gradually develops your interest in the process of reaching your goal instead of haunting you from it.
After all, there’s nothing better than loving what you do.

The only reason people fail in Kaizen as they consider it too easy. It is hard-wired into their brain that they have to go through a massive struggle and pain to achieve something big. Therefore, they fail to believe in the method and stop performing it.

Try out this method yourself, and make sure to comment if it helped!

FAQ’s