The Kaizen Principle is a Japanese lifestyle philosophy which proposes we seek small, incremental improvements as a pathway to excellence. As the famous Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu once said a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and given enough time these small steps can add up to hugely impressive results.
Traditionally applied to the world of business and organisations, the Kaizen Principle can just as effectively be applied to our personal lives. In our workouts, small incremental increases in the load we lift can add up to significant increases in strength and muscle mass. In the kitchen, small incremental improvements in the foods we eat can create radical changes in our body composition and health. Whether it is our health, social lives or careers there are always little things we can do to improve.
The concept of small wins is particularly useful when tackling large challenges such as completely overhauling your lifestyle. When change seems overwhelming, remember the Kaizen Principle.