Kaizen- An Ancient Asian Philosophy that WILL Improve Your Business and Your Life
“In this new economy, your number one skill-set for sustainable success will be your ability to adapt – change happens rapidly and entrepreneurs need to readily and quickly change too. In practicing the principles of Kaizen, entrepreneurs will thrive with minimal effort and infact will be the differentiate those that thrive and those that barely survive.”
“Kaizen is the New Economy Entrepreneur’s way of life.” – Jennie Armato
A PRACTICAL AND POWERFUL WAY TO TRANSFORM YOUR
BUSINESS AND YOUR LIFE and IT’S SO SIMPLE,
YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT DO IT!
It’s true, this is so simple you may not do it. It’s the idea of ‘advancing‘ yourself, your business and your life in such small ways, that are so effortless, you will not even notice it’s happening and the outcome is that you really WILL move forward to your freedom.
Advancing Yourself in small, effortless ways is an ancient philosophy that stems back Centuries and Transcends Cultures.
In Japan ‘advancing yourself’ is known as Kaizen ( 改 Kai meaning changed and 善 Zen meaning good). It is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. When applied to the corporate workplace, Kaizen activities continually improve all functions of a business, from manufacturing to management and from the CEO to the assembly line workers. By improving standardized activities and processes, Kaizen aims to eliminate waste. In modern times, Kaizen was implemented in several Japanese businesses including Toyota during the country’s recovery after World War II and has since spread to businesses throughout the world. Entrepreneurs and Employees alike are challenged to improve their processes and working environment little by little … over time.
In Chinese, “advancing yourself“ is known as Gai San (pronounced Gai San): Gai= The action to correct. San= is more related to the Taoism or Buddhism Philosophy of ’benefits for many that can be sustained forever’. In other words the ‘san’ is an act that can truly benefit others.
The effects of Kaizen invokes a desire for a process of continuous improvement. For web business owners and entrepreneurs the act of advancing yourself (one small activity at a time) means building sustainable business and revenue models over a period of time that will produce an ongoing source of income to provide for our families and ultimating LIVE and LEAVE our LEGACY!
This concept applies not just to your business, but your relationships, personal pursuits, interests and hobbies – every aspect of your life. That includes sports too. In 2009 the Pelican Rapids Boys’ Basketball team coach adopted the concept of Kaizen and taught it to each of his team boys. They went on that year to win the national title. A movie has been made about it. Here is their movie trailer called, of course ‘Kaizen’:
How Do You Get Started?
This Philosophy is so simple, so powerful and so practical, you really do risk not doing it. Kaizen is indeed a way of life – one that will help you transform your life and create those added experiences, possessions and achievements you want and desire.
Being able to continuously improve or advance yourself one small activity at a time lies in being ritualistic about it. It’s developing a ritual of doing small activities that form part of what will move you forward. For example, in your web business, create a ritual to do one new, small activity each week that will form part of your long term business evolvement. You can start a new article for your blog, extend your keyword research for your meta tags, split test a headline, make a quick promotional video, etc. . The ritual of doing small activities like these add up to growing and evolving your business over time … and you’ll barely notice the effort day by day but in a year or two, your business web site for example will have grown in its depth and volume and value to your marketplace and to a potential buyer, should you wish to sell it.
There’s a significant other valuable result of the effects of Kaizen. A ritual of doing small activities on a regular (daily) basis will give you momentum, often spoken in business and life as ‘being on a roll’. Momentum is an essential ingredient to improve your business and your life.
By completing small activities on a regular basis you also create mini milestones. This will raise your belief and your energy will be uplifted as you become more inspired. You WILL then break through.
There are 8 Steps to the formal process of implementing Kaizen:
1. Select a Project (this could a process, a task or a step you need to take)
2. Understand current situations (could include clarity on what you are currently working on and why)
3. Analyze data for root causes (could include current skill and proficiency levels)
4. Establish counter-measures (could include what to change, what education to seek, what to outsource)
5. Implement counter-measures (includes taking appropriate action to completion)
6. Confirm the effect (objectively identify and observe the improvement/s)
7. Standardize (make permanent changes to practices and procedures)
8. Review and Repeat the Previous Steps (rinse and repeat”).
IT WOULD BE REALLY EASY TO DISMISS THIS CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WORK AND WELL, IT DOESN’T SOUND SEXY … SO …
What’s the Potential?
You do not ‘wake up’ one day in the future with everything done to perfection in your beautiful new life. It happens gradually and small piece or small achievement by small achievement. Now you can give your small achievements a context and plan your activities to grow your business and improve your life, small piece by small piece. No need to conquer great mountains, simply continue to take one small step at a time forward, using the concept and principals of Kaizen.
Celebrate Kaizen as a way of life, as it’s only a series of small steps of improvement to achieve your ultimate life.
ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME GIVES YOU MOMENTUM – MOMENTUM GIVES YOU FLOW – AND FLOW MOVE FORWARD TO YOUR FREEDOM.
What have you done today to advance yourself? Make a list of at least 3 things- remember they SHOULD be small. (Isn’t it great to actually recognize and appreciate the small stuff!)
Now it’s time CELEBRATE IT! Turn up the volume, let’s celebrate what you’ve done today to that’s reason to be proud … SING ALONG … No actually, BELT IT OUT BABY, I’m singing with you!
I found this video with the words too so you can watch them online anytime (just bookmark this page)
OR, you can print the words out, stick them on your office wall, carry them with you in a journal – EVERYTIME you make a small step to advancing yourself, you can reward yourself with a rendition of this song.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TODAY TO MAKE YOU FEEL PROUD
(Heather Small – how appropriate is her surname - ”small” steps)
I look into the window of my mind
Reflections of the fears I know I’ve left behind
I step out of the ordinary
I can feel my soul ascending
I am on my way
Can’t stop me now
And you can do the same
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
It’s never too late to try
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
You could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
Still so many answers I don’t know
Realise that to question is how we grow
So I step out of the ordinary
I can feel my soul ascending
I am on my way
Can’t stop me now
And you can do the same
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
It’s never too late to try
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
You could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
We need a change
Do it today
I can feel my spirit rising
We need a change
So do it today
‘Cause I can see a clear horizon
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
So what have you done today to make you feel proud?
‘Cause you could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
So what have you done today to make you feel proud?
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
What have you done today
You could be so many people?
Just make that break for freedom
So what have you done today to make you feel proud?
I love what this song is about. What have you done today to make yourself proud? Only you can do that for yourself. Put one foot in front of the other and you are bound to move forward … even if it is falling forward!
Please leave your comments and feedback below.
I want to know you were here and if this helped you grow.
With love, Jen xo
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