I cannot remember being this excited about sharing my thoughts on any one particular topic in a long time. Your life could very well be on the verge of changing for the good. Fast. Easy. And soon.
It all started for me at my kitchen table while reading the morning paper. 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 thousandths 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 little things (important 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 how 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 elicits a little stomach acid. As a result, these cleaning chores are postponed indefinitely. This behavior can easily become yesterday’s news if you subscribe to the Kaizen approach. Stop worrying about cleaning anything. All you have 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 at your progress.
Since I read the book, I find myself eyeballing a zillion items that yesterday would have gone unnoticed, untouched and remain on my “To-Do List.” I figured if I was not going to complete the task 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. Kaizen goes against the popular teaching to finish what you start all at once. With Kaizen, you eventually do complete the task, but not instantaneously. But don’t misinterpret me. There are some tasks that require your full and uninterrupted attention from start to finish.
Kaizen also works when it comes to eating healthy. You do not have to give up French fries cold turkey once you endorse the Kaizen philosophy. 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. Before you begin eating, throw one of them away. Just one. The next time, throw two fries away before eating. Get the idea? Little steps. Big difference. Soon you will be paying $3.75 for one stick of potato and you will swear off that habit.
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. I want you to stand on the treadmill for one minute. Day two, stand for two minutes. Day three, stand for 60 seconds and walk for 60 seconds. This new action is not intimidating no matter how you look at it. Day-by-day, step-by-step, you will soon be working up a sweat while enjoying the process. My wife and I have adopted this behavior after walking past our workout room in our home for nearly six months.
I learned an important lesson while training for the Ironman Triathlon. The mind quits before the body does. When you fail to reach a goal or objective meaningful to you, the reason is more often than not a mental problem. You allow your mind to dictate your future.
By adopting the Kaizen method you will soon see that by taking single steps, consistently, over time, that improvement will soon be the painless result. There is no magic involved. No secret formula. No magic pill. Small steps over time will get you to where you want to go.
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.
