Everything You Need to Know About Practicing Kaizen

Are you stuck because taking action toward your goals feels overwhelming or scary? The Japanese philosophy of kaizen—continuous improvement through small, manageable steps—offers a powerful solution to overcome the fear and psychological resistance that keep you paralyzed.

In Ikigai & Kaizen, Anthony Raymond explains how large, ambitious goals trigger your brain’s threat response, creating anxiety and avoidance behaviors that prevent progress. Raymond demonstrates how practicing kaizen circumvents these obstacles by breaking down intimidating objectives into tiny, non-threatening actions that build momentum over time. Robert Maurer’s One Small Step Can Change Your Life expands on this concept with six practical strategies for implementation, while The Toyota Way by Jeffrey Liker shows how these principles revolutionized manufacturing through incremental improvements that compound into massive gains.

Why Implement Kaizen?

In Ikigai & Kaizen, Anthony Raymond suggests that many people face an obstacle that prevents them from moving forward: They fear taking action. We’ll explore this obstacle and clarify why Raymond’s solution is key to overcoming it: practicing kaizen.

The Fear of Taking Action

Raymond suggests that fear of taking action often results from pursuing goals that are too large or challenging. Such goals create uncertainty about where to begin and how to proceed, and they require you to invest a great deal of time and effort—which often means changing your routine. Since your brain believes that familiar routines keep you physically and mentally safe, it perceives uncertainty and change as threats it must protect you from. It does this by inducing psychological resistance in the form of fear, anxiety, or overwhelm—uncomfortable feelings designed to convince you to revert to your familiar, safe routine instead of taking action toward your goal.

Additionally, large goals exacerbate psychological resistance by increasing the risk of failure. Raymond explains that the larger and more complex a goal is, the more steps it requires, the more skills you need to master, and the more obstacles you’re likely to encounter along the way. Each additional step, skill, and obstacle represents another chance for something to go wrong—increasing the likelihood that you’ll fail somewhere in the process. Since failure tends to trigger painful emotions such as shame and disappointment, your brain interprets this heightened risk of failure as a potential threat to your psychological safety, causing it to induce even more fear and discomfort to prevent you from taking action.

How to Practice Kaizen

Raymond suggests that implementing kaizen can quell any fears you’re holding onto, making it easier to progress toward your goals. Kaizen is a concept that roughly translates to “continuous improvement.” It involves taking small, consistent, and achievable steps—tiny actions that won’t trigger your brain’s threat response or the resulting psychological resistance and goal-related fears. Raymond explains four ways that kaizen circumvents the obstacles created by your subconscious: 

1. It gets you to break down large goals into very small and effortless actions. Because these actions require minimal time and effort, they don’t disrupt your routine and pull you out of your comfort zone.

2. It removes uncertainty by providing direction. Restricting your focus to the smallest possible next step helps you feel clear about exactly what you need to do to progress toward your goal. 

3. It eliminates the risk of failure. Because these actions are so effortless and achievable, you approach them with confidence, knowing you can successfully complete them. 

4. It creates momentum with consistent wins. With every small action you complete, you experience a sense of accomplishment that boosts your confidence and simultaneously expands your comfort zone, making it progressively easier to take the next action and progress toward your goal. 

3-Steps for Implementing Kaizen

Raymond suggests that you can implement kaizen and make continuous progress toward your goals by following a three-step process:

1. Identify the smallest possible step you can take to make progress. Make this action so simple that it feels almost trivial. For example, if your goal is to sell one of your upholstery projects, your first action might be to spend five minutes researching local craft fairs or to take a single photo of your finished work. 

2. Commit to taking at least one small action every day to build momentum. Consistency matters more than intensity—by habitually completing small actions, you’ll accumulate small wins that create noticeable progress over time. 

3. Increase the scope of your actions as your comfort level expands. Attempt more complex or time-consuming tasks to keep your momentum going. For example, after photographing your work, you might create a simple social media post showcasing it, then later reach out to one potential venue.

6 Kaizen Strategies

In his book One Small Step Can Change Your Life, Robert Maurer covers why small actions are key to implementing change, and then he explores how to apply them to your goals. He organizes his advice on how to implement Kaizen into six strategies: question what to do next, visualize your success, act incrementally, resolve minor issues, reward your efforts, and notice subtle details. Let’s look at what each of these Kaizen implementation strategies entails.

Strategy #1: Question What to Do Next

Regularly ask yourself non-threatening questions that lead to solutions. According to Maurer, questions catalyze change by engaging the problem-solving regions of your brain. When you pose a question, your brain takes it as a cue to seek out answers, which shifts your attention away from reasons not to change and toward potential ways you can make change happen. (Shortform note: The problem-solving process Maurer describes aligns with what’s widely known as instinctive elaboration. Simply put, asking a question creates a gap in your understanding. In response, your brain feels compelled to fill this void with an answer and initiates a process to find solutions.)

To apply this strategy, Maurer recommends that you integrate questions into your daily routine. After formulating a question, commit to asking it every day—perhaps as part of your morning routine.

Maurer identifies several areas where non-threatening questions can be particularly effective in daily life, including:

• Overcoming self-criticism: Challenge negative self-talk by asking questions that acknowledge your achievements. For example, if you’re questioning your value at work, shift your perspective by asking, “What’s one contribution I made today?”
• Sparking creativity: Stimulate your imagination by focusing on small, specific aspects of your creative projects. For example, if you’re experiencing writer’s block with a piece of fiction, ask yourself, “What’s one character trait I can explore further?”
• Pursuing happiness: Identify what brings you joy by reflecting on daily activities. For example, if you’re unsure how to enhance your happiness, ask yourself, “What’s one simple thing that brought me joy today?”
• Achieving goals: Break down your goals into actionable steps with targeted questions. For example, if you want to eat healthier, ask, “What’s one vegetable I can add to my meals this week?” 
• Resolving conflicts: Shift your perspective in conflicts by seeking to understand the other person’s point of view. For example, if you’re at odds with someone, ask yourself, “What’s one positive intention behind their actions?”

Strategy #2: Visualize Your Success

Asking non-threatening questions will generate ideas for implementing change. But what if you’re hesitant to act on these ideas? Maurer suggests that you mentally prepare yourself to move forward by visualizing the steps you want to take. 

Maurer suggests that the key to effective visualization is repetition and gradual progression. He recommends the following process for integrating visualization into your routine:

1. Select a task that you feel nervous about and allocate a few seconds each day to visualization.
2. During each session, close your eyes and imagine yourself performing the task. Engage all of your senses—see, hear, smell, touch, and feel emotions just as if you were acting in real life.
3. Imagine positive outcomes, such as successfully completing the task or receiving a favorable response from others.
4. As you grow more comfortable, gradually increase the duration of your sessions. Then, start to weave in challenges, such as potential obstacles or worst-case scenarios, and visualize yourself managing them effectively.

Strategy #3: Act Incrementally

Once you’ve primed your brain for action, it’s time to take steps to make your desired changes a reality. Maurer says that the best way to move forward is to take actions that are so minute and effortless that they seem too trivial to count as progress.

Maurer suggests that asking non-threatening questions (Strategy #1) uncovers specific actions you can take to facilitate the changes you want. To illustrate how small these actions should be, let’s look at examples of initial actions you might take:

• Overcoming self-criticism: After asking yourself “What’s one contribution I made at work today?”, you realize that you contributed valuable insights during a team meeting. You write down this contribution on a sticky note, so you can see and remember it later. 
• Sparking creativity: Guided by the question “What’s one character trait I can explore further in my fiction writing?”, you discover an underdeveloped aspect of your character’s Irish heritage. You open up a playlist of traditional Irish ballads for inspiration. 
• Pursuing happiness: Reflecting on the question “What’s one simple thing that brought me joy today?” helps you remember how much you enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee in the morning. You set your alarm for five minutes earlier so that you can savor your coffee in peace.
• Achieving goals: Upon considering “What’s one vegetable I can add to my meals this week?”, the enjoyable crunch of broccoli comes to mind. You add broccoli to your shopping list.
• Resolving conflicts: Pondering the question “What’s one positive intention behind their actions?” helps you understand that the other person might be trying to uphold a high standard of work. You note down one positive aspect of their work ethic.

Strategy #4: Resolve Minor Issues

Now that we’ve explored how to identify, prepare for, and initiate small actions, let’s move on to another strategy for implementing change: Resolve minor issues. Maurer recommends three exercises for identifying and addressing minor issues in daily life:

1) Reflect on past difficulties. This will help you detect and respond to current issues that might hint at future challenges. To reflect effectively, start by recalling a major challenge you faced. Then identify any small issues that forecasted the challenge and, based on those issues, consider any steps you could have taken to avert it. For example, if your business failed, one early warning sign might have been a slight increase in product returns. Adjusting your business strategy based on this feedback might have kept your business afloat. 

(Shortform note: If you feel tempted to criticize yourself at any point during this step, remember that the goal isn’t to berate yourself for failing to address certain issues, but to increase your awareness of current issues that you can solve. Annie Duke (Thinking in Bets) suggests that you’re more likely to fall into the trap of self-recrimination when you’re under the influence of hindsight bias. This occurs when you know the outcome of a decision, and you’re prone to thinking it was obvious and that you should’ve predicted it. Remember that at the time, the outcome wasn’t clear. It’s only with hindsight that the outcome became clear.)

2) Identify minor mistakes: This will help you address your mistakes, which, in turn, will prevent larger problems from developing. To identify mistakes, think about a recent misstep you made. Consider whether this error indicates a broader problem or has the potential to become a larger issue if left unchecked. For example, perhaps you missed a work deadline, which might indicate bigger issues such as poor time management skills or procrastination habits.

3) Pay attention to warning signs: This will help you anticipate and prevent future challenges. To do this, think of a small annoyance or concern. Consider if it’s an early indicator of a larger problem that you might be able to avoid. For example, during a first date, your partner might continuously interrupt you, indicating a lack of respect. You may decide not to go on a second date to avoid more significant relationship issues down the line. 

Strategy #5: Reward Your Efforts

Maurer says that you’ll find it easier to consistently practice the preceding strategies if you use small rewards to fuel your motivation.

He emphasizes that small rewards are more effective than large ones: Large rewards often spark intense pressure to do something really impressive to earn them. This pressure can misdirect your motivation, driving you to focus solely on earning the reward. As a result, once you have the reward, you don’t feel motivated to keep going.

Maurer offers four suggestions for integrating small rewards into your routine:

1) Reward your efforts and your results to stay invested in the process of working toward your goal. For example, if you want to write a book, reward yourself each time you complete a writing session, as well as each time you complete a chapter. (Shortform note: Robbins (Awaken the Giant Within) adds that rewarding yourself immediately after you take action creates a pleasurable association with the action itself, motivating you to continue taking that action.)

2) Keep rewards quick and simple so that you can immediately reward yourself after each step, which will reinforce the connection between the action and the positive feedback. For example, take a five-minute break or have a small treat after you complete the action. (Shortform note: Clear (Atomic Habits) suggests an approach for implementing quick and simple rewards: Schedule your steps in between activities you already find rewarding. By doing so, you’ll effortlessly integrate the reward process into your existing routine.)   

3) Ensure the rewards align with your goal. For example, if you aim to save money, rewarding your prudent spending with a lavish shopping spree would be counterproductive. On the other hand, spending an evening with a favorite book or movie would support your efforts. (Shortform note: While Maurer’s advice may seem obvious, many people engage in counterproductive behaviors, otherwise known as self-sabotage. Positive psychology research indicates that people may self-sabotage when they get close to achieving something they want due to their fear of failure.)

4) Personalize the rewards to motivate others to change. For example, if you want to reward your children for keeping their bedrooms clean, you’re more likely to encourage them to continue by thinking about what makes them feel appreciated, such as earning extra playtime. (Shortform note: One way to meaningfully personalize rewards for others is to consider their love language. Gary Chapman (The 5 Love Languages) explains that people understand and express affection and appreciation in one of five ways (words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch)—and they need to receive appreciation in their own “love language” to truly feel it.)

Strategy #6: Notice Subtle Details

Maurer’s final strategy—notice small details—encourages you to be more mindful of day-to-day moments. Maurer explains that this attentiveness furthers your progression toward your goal by helping you to uncover opportunities for improvement, enjoy the process, and maintain a positive outlook.

Maurer identifies three areas where noticing small details in daily life can benefit you:

• Your peace of mind: If you struggle with anxiety, noticing small details to appreciate can divert your attention and ease your apprehension. For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed about a looming deadline, noticing the warmth of the sunlight through your window can provide a comforting contrast to your worries.
• Your relationships: If you feel like your loved ones are neglecting you or being distant, noticing the small ways they show care or affection can foster a sense of appreciation and connection. For example, acknowledging your partner’s effort to cook your favorite meal or a friend’s quick text to check on you can reinforce the supportive bonds you share.
• Your career: If you’re aiming to improve professionally or creatively, noticing small details can help you fine-tune nuances that enhance the quality of your work. For example, paying attention to subtle reactions from your clients can lead to crucial insights about their preferences.

Questions, the Kaizen Way

Maurer presents simple and effective strategies that will empower you to avoid the fight-or-flight response, move forward, and achieve your goals. His strategies are based on the Japanese technique of kaizen. Questions, writes Maurer, catalyze change by engaging the problem-solving regions of your brain. When you pose a question, your brain takes it as a cue to seek out answers, which shifts your attention away from reasons not to change and toward potential ways you can make change happen. (Shortform note: The problem-solving process Maurer describes aligns with what’s widely known as instinctive elaboration. Simply put, asking a question creates a gap in your understanding. In response, your brain feels compelled to fill this void with an answer and initiates a process to find solutions.)

Maurer says you should regularly ask yourself non-threatening questions that lead to solutions. He emphasizes the need to frame your questions in a way that doesn’t trigger your fight-or-flight response, which will hinder your ability to come up with solutions. For example, if your goal is to quit smoking, asking “How can I quit smoking today?” might provoke anxiety that exacerbates your resistance to change. On the other hand, asking a gentler question, such as, “What’s one way I can cut back on cigarettes this month?” is less likely to induce stress and more likely to elicit solutions.

To apply this strategy, Maurer recommends that you integrate questions into your daily routine. After formulating a question, commit to asking it every day—perhaps as part of your morning routine. This daily practice is crucial for three reasons: 

1. Your brain associates frequency with importance: The more you focus on a question, the more your brain interprets it as a priority and allocates resources to address it.
2. Your brain enhances problem-solving with repetition: Repeatedly focusing on the same question encourages your brain to explore the issue from different angles and in greater depth, which can lead to more insightful and well-developed solutions.
3. Your brain adapts through repetition: Over time, this ongoing practice reshapes how you think about change in general, fostering a mindset that automatically looks for ways to implement changes in other areas of your life.

Example: Kaizen in Action

One practical use of kaizen can be seen in the book The Toyota Way by Jeffrey Liker. He describes kaizen as small, incremental improvements in speed and quality that, over time, add up to large gains. Many assembly line processes are repeated thousands of times a day, so a reduction of even a few seconds for each repetition adds up quickly.

Toyota’s approach to kaizen involves two stages: 

1. A modeling stage, in which you sketch out the stages of the manufacturing process, identify wastes, and calculate production timeframes. This stage is relatively short.
2. A practical implementation stage, in which you test and refine the improvements identified in the modeling stage. This stage is detailed, iterative, and ongoing. 

The Modeling Stage

Toyota models its production line as a “pull system”: a system in which customer demand for a product “pulls” the product through the assembly line. One example of a typical pull system is a restaurant: A customer order for a particular dish sets in motion the processes needed to produce the dish. This contrasts with more traditional “push systems,” in which a manufacturer produces a set number of products and sends them out to be sold, regardless of whether the retailer already has the item in stock. 

Toyota also uses pull systems to move work in progress from station to station. When workers involved in downstream processes are ready for more parts, they use signals (kanban) to communicate this to upstream workers. Kanban can be as complex as a digital signal or as simple as returning an empty bin to be filled. 

The “value stream” is the sequence of actions in the assembly line that add value for the customer. Everything else is seen as waste. Liker explains that Toyota uses value stream mapping to identify which parts of the process add value and which can be minimized or eliminated. To map the value stream, team members draw a box for each workstation in the assembly line. They then go and look at what happens between each process and make notes regarding the transitions between workstations. Are parts transported long distances? Do they wait in queues? Are the workers moving efficiently? They record all of this information in the gaps between the boxes.

One-piece flow is a depiction of the perfect value stream. In one-piece flow, products move through the plant undergoing only processes that add value, with no wasted time or materials. One-piece flow is the opposite of traditional “batch and queue” manufacturing practices, in which large quantities of parts are produced well ahead of time and then sit in queues waiting to be processed. One-piece flow is also called a “just-in-time” system, as each workstation receives the parts just in time to work on them.

The Seven Wastes

Value stream mapping allows you to pinpoint wastes. Liker lists seven types of waste:

• Excess production
• Excess inventory
• Excess movement 
• Wasted time 
• Inefficient or unnecessary transport 
• Inefficient work practices
• Production of defective parts 

When you map the value stream, the goal is to identify all of the areas of waste and find ways to reduce them.

The Implementation Stage

The second part of Toyota’s approach to kaizen is at the implementation stage. The common way to start kaizen is the 5S cleanup process:

• Seiri (sort): Get rid of unnecessary items.
• Seiton (systematize): Devise a logical system for storing and displaying the necessary items.
• Seiso (shine): Make sure everything stays in its place. Fix broken items.
• Seiketsu (standardize): Record rules and instructions and share them with everyone who uses the space. 
• Shitsuke (sustain): Ensure that no parts of the system are allowed to deteriorate.

Liker comments that some lean consultants go into a business, do this cleanup, and declare kaizen complete—but this is just the starting point.

Jidoka (Intelligent Error Detection)

In Toyota’s approach to kaizen, it’s crucial to expose defects early. Liker explains that in traditional manufacturing processes, large piles of inventory can hide defects that aren’t discovered until much later, making it hard to trace the cause of the problem. Toyota roots out defects by deliberately keeping inventory levels low and through jidoka (intelligent error detection).

Sakichi Toyoda’s loom—designed to stop automatically when it detected a single broken thread—is the prototypical example of jidoka. When the loom stopped, this was a signal that something was wrong and a call to fix the problem. 

Applied to the assembly line, Liker calls this concept “in-station quality,” meaning that at each workstation, both people and machines inspect each newly received part and stop the line immediately if they detect a problem. Standard Toyota practices such as maintaining minimal inventory levels and a clear line of sight across the shop floor also help workers and supervisors to spot problems early. The signaling mechanisms that alert others that something is wrong (pushing a button, pulling a cord, automatic alarms) are called andon. When an andon is activated, other team members come running to help solve the problem.

Liker points out that in terms of efficiency, this practice seems counterintuitive: How can an assembly line be efficient if it stops every time someone spots a defect? He argues that in the short term, stopping the assembly isn’t efficient. However, stopping the production line adds urgency to the problem-solving process, so problems are solved much faster than they would be if the line hadn’t been stopped. And in the long term, quickly detecting and solving errors dramatically improves the efficiency of the whole line.

Keep Practicing Kaizen

If you want to dive deeper into the practice of kaizen, check out the full guides to the books mentioned in this article below.

• Ikigai & Kaizen
• One Small Step Can Change Your Life
• The Toyota Way