THE 10 PRINCIPLES OF KAIZEN

Kaizen is a Japanese word which means continuous improvement or development. It tells us that we can always improve ourselves. Whether it's learning something new or perfecting a skill you already have, there is always a room for improvement in everyone's life.

Let's see how each principle can be applied to one's personal life.

1. Never stop 

No matter how successful you are in your life or career, there is still an area for advancement and refinement in your life.

2. Eliminate former practices 

Let go of former habits, even if they seemed to have some benefit to you at that particular time. As time progresses, you should also make an effort to progress.

3. Be proactive 

If there is something you want in your life, go for it. Stop hesitating because of possible obstacles that you foresee, and instead march forward towards your goal.

4. Don't assume new methods will work 

Just because something worked for someone else, that does not necessarily mean it will work for you. Take some time to find a method that works for you when it comes to achieving your goals.

5. Make corrections 

Recognize the areas in your life that can use improvement, and make relevant corrections for you to progress.

6. Empower other employees to speak up

Everyone who is involved in the success of the company—from the CEO to the junior workers—should be encouraged to offer suggestions and solutions for problems that can be fixed, or improvements that can be made.

7. Crowdsource

Before implementing a change or possible improvement, talk to several people to get their input. Having multiple opinions can not only add to a possible improvement, but it may also offer a different perspective that will open up more new ideas.

8. Practice the ''Five Why'' method 

Before making any final decisions, get to the root of the problem by asking “why?” five times. This can lead you to the root cause of the problem.

9. Be economical 

Watch your finances during the whole process of making an improvement. Look for ways to save money while making small improvements, and then spend the saved money on further improvements.

10. Don't stop 

Never consider yourself to be finished. Improvement has no limits, and can be continued on an infinite or cosmic level.

If you don't sacrifice for what you want, then what you want becomes the sacrifice.

Try to do something just a little bit better each day in order to make a large impact in the fullness of time. Trying to take on too much at one time can lead to burnout and a lack of progress.