After reading the book by the title above, I find myself noticing a number of items that, yesterday, would have gone unnoticed and perhaps untouched. I figured if I was not going to complete the task at hand in one sitting, I would wait until I could find the time to do so. This has proven over time to be a wasteful decision.
The Kaizen philosophy goes against the popular teaching that you must finish what you start… at one sitting. Kaizen implies that you will eventually complete the task, but not as quickly as you first imagined.
Kaizen also proves effective when it comes to healthy eating. You do not have to give up French fries cold turkey once you endorse the Kaizen philosophy. At least not all at once. Your brain will fight you and you will lose every time.
Here is what I want you to do. Order the fries. Then before you begin eating, throw one of them away. Just one. The next time throw away two fries before eating. Get the idea? Little steps. Big difference.
But what about exercise? Same thing. You are not about to jog for 60-minutes on the treadmill coming off the couch with your new exercise program. Initially, all I ask you to do is to stand on the treadmill for one minute. On day two, stand for two minutes. Day three, stand for 60 seconds and walk for 60 seconds. This, as you can agree, is non-intimidating no matter who you are.
Day by day, step by step, you will soon be working up a sweat while enjoying the process. My wife and I are doing this exact thing after walking past our workout room in our home for nearly six months.
I can’t remember being this excited about sharing my thoughts on any one particular topic in a long time. Your life could be on the verge of changing for the better. Fast. Easy. And soon.
The Kaizen method of incremental improvement was introduced to me at my kitchen table while reading the morning paper. (A few years back.) My wife showed me a book review of One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, written by Robert Maurer, Ph.D.
Since I often remind seminar attendees that Olympic Gold is usually won by hundreds of a second, the concept of taking small steps to achieve goals was not new to me. The Japanese might have given it its name, Kaizen, but what it involves is simply continuous improvement. Taking small steps toward a desired goal is the key.
All one needs to do is identify a few little things and make small improvements to each one. It is a beautiful, non-intimidating mind-set. And it works. Because it is easy.
But where can Kaizen behavior help you? Let me count the ways:
Whether you want to clean the attic, garage, closet, or the trunk of your car, just the thought of it probably rubs you the wrong way. As a result, these cleaning chores are postponed indefinitely. This procrastinating behavior can become come yesterday’s news if you subscribe to the Kaizen method. Stop worrying about cleaning anything. All you need to do is pick up one book that is lying on the floor and put it back in its place. The next time you pass the closet, pick up or rearrange one garment. When in the garage, put a screwdriver back in its holster. Take small, non-intimidating steps. You will soon be amazed with your progress.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club, mike@mikemarchev.com.*** You want more to think about? Check out my weekly podcast (Miked Up Marchev). Also listed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, and iHeartRadio.
I have been known to suggest that when somebody crosses your mind for no apparent reason, it would be in your (and their) best interest to contact them… sooner rather than later. The mysticism in this advice escapes me, but I hold firm in my belief the effectiveness behind this practice. This past week, I was the recipient of such a contact when an agent from the west coast sent me an email with an article of supposed interest attached. In this case, the agent thought I might want to…
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Kaizen also proves effective when it comes to healthy eating. You do not have to give up French fries cold turkey once you endorse the Kaizen philosophy. At least not all at once. Your brain will fight you and you will lose every time.
Here is what I want you to do. Order the fries. Then before you begin eating, throw one of them away. Just one. The next time throw away two fries before eating. Get the idea? Little steps. Big difference.
But what about exercise? Same thing. You are not about to jog for 60-minutes on the treadmill coming off the couch with your new exercise program. Initially, all I ask you to do is to stand on the treadmill for one minute. On day two, stand for two minutes. Day three, stand for 60 seconds and walk for 60 seconds. This, as you can agree, is non-intimidating no matter who you are.
