Last week, I received an email with this subject:
"This One Thing Will Change Your Life Overnight."
Tempting right? But we know the truth: anything worth having takes work, time and consistent effort. One way to help you get there is to apply the Japanese philosophy of kaizen. Though essentially a business philosophy, kaizen -- which translates literally to "change + good" -- encourages people to be on the constant lookout for small changes they can make to improve all aspects of their work and life.
In a world that is moving at the speed of your Instagram feed, it is easy to become enticed by the quick fix. And sometimes a big change is just what the doctor ordered. Quitting smoking, forsaking diet soda ... some things are best done “cold turkey.” But more often, real, lasting improvement is the result of a persistent series of incremental improvements made along the way.
Consider fitness. It is impossible to go instantly from sedentary to marathon runner. But it is possible. Consider weight. It is impossible to go instantly from obese to lean, but with a thousand small changes and better decisions over time, it is possible. Consider learning to play the piano, mastering a new language or creating a warm and loving home.
Every one of these things can only come about as the result of consistent, persist improvement. Small changes, little improvements, new learnings and incremental advancements each and every day.
So kaizen on and get better every day.