The Art of KaizenSo what is it? Kaizen is a Japanese word which, in English, most closely translates to "Continuous Improvement." The concept of continuous improvement has been around for thousands of years in the Japanese culture. It was synthesized into the philosophy of Total Quality Management by Dr. W. Edwards Deming when he was given the task of revitalizing Japan's economy immediately following World War II. If you look at Japan's economy today you can see the effectiveness of this philosophy - they're a powerhouse. But how does the philosophy of kaizen apply to you? Easy. Take the words "Continuous Improvement" and stick a "Self" in the middle. "Continuous Self Improvement" is the single most important concept to apply to your life if you hope to be successful. Plain and simple. Northrop Frye, a Canadian literary critic, has said that:
Mr. Frye is distinguishing between a trained mind and a mind dedicated to learning. He is suggesting that the trained mind has acquired techniques that, in our world, will probably be out of date in ten or fifteen years. Training is not the important thing - it's the readiness to take on the training that's important. Our nature is to want to improve our private world. We are all living in a world that falls short of the world we want. We each have a vision of what paradise is, a better place we're trying to reach, for ourselves as well as our families. I suggest to you that the best way to reach this better world is to become a more effective person. And that's only achieved through kaizen. Occasional self-improvement is fairly common and easily achievable. Continuous self-improvement is virtually unachievable, but striving for it is the single most effective way to approach your personal paradise. How can we go about this self-improvement? First, write on the back of a three-by-five card, in large letters: IMPROVE TODAY
Put the card in a prominent corner of the mirror you use when you comb your hair in the morning & brush your teeth at night. Look at it every day (including weekends). Before you leave in the morning, think about what you will do that day to improve yourself. Before you go to sleep at night, think of some way you improved yourself during that day. There are thousands of ways for you to improve yourself. The general categories are to do something new, to do something better, and to increase your awareness. Examples include: -extending your exercise time, thereby improving your fitness -reading a nonfiction book -improving your time management -learning how to make something using tools, or how to paint, or cook -shining your shoes -starting to sort and recycle your garbage -changing your diet so you start eating healthy foods -participating in a community service project -offering or listening to advice -learning a foreign language -caring for someone -revising your itinerary to make it more productive ...and so on. Particularly useful things to learn (if you haven't already) are how to improve your memory, speed reading, typing, and computer skills. These will help you make better use of your time - your most precious asset. The list is endless. Choosing ways to improve yourself is the easy part. What's difficult is maintaining enthusiasm for the rest of your life and having the discipline to make kaizen a part of your daily schedule. The Japenese have become very good at it. They work at improvement in the quality of their products, the efficiency of their service, and their daily living habits. The secret of maintaining kaizen... The most important aspect of staying enthusiastic during your pursuit of continuous improvement is your interest level - your attitude. I know a family where a sixth-grader came home with a report card that was all D's and C's. His father asked why. "I can never remember anything" was the answer. If you ask this same child about baseball, he can give you the earned run averages and win-loss records of every pitcher on his home team, as well as the batting average of each player. Memory obviously isn't the problem - it's a lack of interest in the subject matter. Most of the effective people I know are concerned with the issue of self-improvement. Those who are already good want to get better. They recognize that when you sharpen your skills in one area it has a positive impact in other areas - they're all interrelated. Your physical health affects your mental health; your spiritual strength affects your social and emotional strength; your emotional strength affects your relationships...it goes on and on. They're all related. As you improve in one area, you increase your ability in other areas as well. As you become more involved in continuing education, you increase your knowledge base and you increase your options. How does kaizen affect your economic security? Despite what you might think, economic security does NOT lie in your job; it lies in your own power to produce - to think, to learn, to create, to adapt. That's true financial independence. It's not having wealth, it's having the power to produce wealth. It's within you. In spite of all the good things that come from self-improvement, it is extremely difficult to achieve results on a daily basis. It's hard. It's work. But it's also fun. It gives a wonderful sense of satisfaction - a feeling of accomplishment. Somehow you have to give yourself daily reminders of the points brought up in this lesson. Find ways of reminding yourself that self-improvement results in many benefits. Keep reminding yourself what those benefits are and how they will enhance your life. If you succeed in keeping this awareness high, you'll maintain your enthusiasm and you'll be more likely to sustain the positive spiral that comes from continuous self-improvement. And remember, no matter how good you become, there will always be room for improvement. Read more about continuous improvement... Articles on Kaizen:The Amazing Power Of Watching by Bill HarrisYou'd be amazed at how great life becomes when you step back and simply watch what's going on - separating yourself from your negative emotions will put you at peace. Why Self-Help Doesn't Work For Everyone - And What You Can Do To Improve The Results You Get by Bob Scheinfeld Bob Scheinfeld talks about the fact that most people never see any results from the self-help programs they employ - and how to use kaizen to make sure that you do. Are You Learning, Or Are You One Of THEM? by Gary Vurnum Do you really learn from the books you read or are they simply dust collectors? Develop Useful Beliefs by Mike Brescia There are very few absolute truths in the world. You must look at every situation with an open mind in order to be successful and experience all that you can in life. Make Knowledge Your Goal by Josh Hinds If you're not building a personal library of success literature and constantly refering to it you will never be successful. Kaizen is all about constantly increasing your knowledge base. Transforming Bad Habits by Brian Tracy You have the ability to change yourself for the better - be successful by breaking down your negative behavior patterns right now. Continuous improvement starts with pulling the weeds out of your garden. 10 Great Places to Meet Passionate People by Julie Jordan Scott It's so important to surround yourself with people who share your views and who will empower you to be successful - your partners in kaizen. What You DO Know Will Hurt You by Gary Vurnum Make sure you're focusing on the quality of your actions. Sometimes that means doing away with many beliefs you've held as true for years. Where Do You Go For Your Intellectual Feast? by Jim Rohn Reading is a critical part of success. You must continuously improve your mind if you want to be successful. All successful people who are known to practice kaizen are avid readers. Your Threshold For Stress - And How To Raise It To The Sky by Bill Harris When you encounter stress on a consistent basis you must re-organize your internal map of reality so that you can better deal with what the world throws at you. Keeping A Journal by Jim Rohn Keeping a journal is one of the most effective ways to keep your life in order and be successful. You can record ways you improve everyday and ways you're incorporating kaizen into your daily life. Meditation Is Simple by Bill Harris Meditating is absolutely necessary if you want to be successful. Consistent meditation will help you focus and stimulate you to pursue your objectives. The Formula For Failure And Success by Jim Rohn Jim Rohn gives insight as to why some fail while others succeed. DO you think it has anything to do with kaizen?
|
