While I was writing a blog on Motivation, I have remembered a conversation with a client a few months ago. Mary was a cancer survivor. When we met, she felt overwhelmed by too many commitments to her own health and wellbeing that she has made. She was looking for a simple, pressure-free solution to care for herself without overcommitting.
Adopting the Kaizen Principle has helped Mary. I have a feeling you may benefit from it too.
Kaizen Principle
Kaizen, pronounced as “k-eye-zin” came from Japan. It originated from the Japanese philosophy of work. It literally means continuous improvement.
In a Kaizen environment, when an employee errs in his job, it is not seen as an occasion to blame, but as a chance to find out what went wrong. Kaizen focuses on incremental improvements rather than permanent solutions. The focus on small improvements makes it easier to implement and impossible to fail. Employees find it easy to adjust to the changes. The resistance to change is MINIMAL. This is how the Japanese beat the competition.
Here is how we can implement the Kaizen way of living:
1. Downgrade your goal to the ridiculous
Instead of committing to two hours of working out, do 5 sit-ups a day. Instead of mediating for an hour, commit to meditating for only 5 min, every day…
2. Celebrate your success
Every success counts. Feel good about yourself. You have made a decision and you took an
action upon it.
3. Repeat it
In the absence of resistance, consistency is easy. Enjoy being consistent.
There are three conditions to create any habit: repetition, positive emotion and association.
It is easy to create positive habits with Kaizen Principle.