Many people may have heard of the Japanese philosophy known as “Kaizen” (Kaizen), but what many do not realize is that this philosophy can transform someone who has been hurt by failure into a lucky individual who can achieve every goal they desire.

The “Kaizen” philosophy has not only helped rescue Japan from being a defeated nation after World War II to becoming one of the developed countries, but it also laid the foundation for the business empires of major Japanese automotive companies like Honda and Toyota.

Before we delve into the principles of “Kaizen”, which translates to making gradual improvements in Japanese, let's explore the origins of this concept.

The Kaizen concept was initiated by an American thinker who developed a program called “Training Within Industry” to support the manufacturing sector in the United States. The core of this program was to encourage gradual changes in manufacturing processes to achieve goals, rather than pushing for large-scale changes that the industry at the time, constrained by resources and time, was not ready to handle.

After World War II, Japan, as a defeated nation, received assistance from the United States, which sent experts to help rebuild the country. These experts implemented the TWI program to revitalize Japan's economy and industry.

The question is, as ordinary individuals, how can we apply the Kaizen principles that once transformed Japan into a success story to pave our own paths to achievement?

This question is not difficult to answer. Simply stop fixating solely on the end goal and instead focus more on the processes that will lead you to that goal.

According to research by John Norcross, a psychology professor at the University of Scranton in the United States, 81% of Americans fail to achieve their New Year's resolutions, primarily due to a lack of motivation to reach their goals. Most people focus only on the goal without paying attention to the process, which contradicts the “Kaizen” approach that emphasizes accumulating success through small but steady steps.

Therefore, as we have just passed the Thai New Year, if you are planning to rise up and conquer life goals that you have failed to achieve for years, consider using the Kaizen approach to assist you.

1. Create a system or a path that will lead you to your dream destination. Here, the path refers to the behaviors or habits that will help you get closer to your goal. For example, if you aim to read 25 books this year, you should start building a system to achieve that by beginning with reading 20 pages a day.

2. Once you have a system or path, break it down into the smallest components. This means instead of creating a massive system to rocket towards your goal, try to minimize the size of the system or path to ensure you can consistently perform the behavior until it becomes a habit. For instance, if you aim to wake up early, instead of abruptly setting your alarm for 5 AM every day, start with three days a week to allow your body to adjust. Remember, if you create a system that makes the first step too daunting, how will you take the next step?

3. Level up when you are confident that you can handle the system you have created. Although small steps may seem slow, it doesn’t mean you have to remain at that small step for life. Whenever you become accustomed to the system you are following, try to adjust your goals from walking slowly to walking faster before jumping to running, as this might overwhelm you and lead to giving up. Remember, the essence of Kaizen is to take it slow and steady.

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