Every Journey Begins With a Single Step: Unlocking the Power of Kaizen

A little becomes a lot when you do it little by little. This ancient Japanese wisdom forms the foundation of Kaizen—a powerful philosophy of continuous improvement that transforms small, deliberate changes into extraordinary results over time.

We often underestimate how much impact seemingly minor actions can have. Think about it: a pinch of snow triggers an avalanche, a single video goes viral worldwide, or an embryo develops into a complex human being. The same principle applies to our personal and professional growth. Since the 1940s, Kaizen has revolutionized industries from manufacturing to healthcare by harnessing this compound effect of intentional micro-improvements.

Through my personal journey with this podcast, I've experienced firsthand how the Kaizen approach creates sustainable progress. The process is elegantly simple yet profoundly effective: set clear goals, evaluate your current state, implement small improvements, review what works (and what doesn't), then report results to guide your next steps. This Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle builds momentum over time, like a snowball rolling downhill.

I share ten powerful tips for implementing Kaizen in your life: start remarkably small to avoid overwhelming yourself, build good habits through daily practice, learn from mistakes rather than punishing yourself for them, involve others to increase accountability, embrace change with openness, focus on improving processes rather than just outcomes, measure your progress consistently, practice patience through inevitable ups and downs, celebrate small victories along the way, and maintain a lifelong learning mindset.

Remember—small changes alone aren't enough. They must be intentional, aligned with your goals, and consistently applied. What small step could you take today that your future self will thank you for? Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and let me know how you're applying these principles to your own journey to success.

Chapters

• 0:14 Introducing the Power of Small Changes
• 3:20 What is Kaizen: Origins and History
• 4:50 The Five-Step Kaizen Process
• 7:40 My Podcast Journey with Kaizen
• 9:48 10 Tips for Implementing Kaizen
• 18:20 The Snowball Effect of Intentional Change

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

What if small changes could lead to extraordinary results? There is an old Japanese proverb, guys, that says a little becomes a lot when you do it little by little. Now you might say, okay, fabio, okay, fair enough, you discover hot water. You know, you may be right, but the point is that we often don't acknowledge how much small habits and actions, especially, can be powerful and impactful in our daily lives, and that's what we're going to talk today. Hi guys, my name is Fabio from Journey to Success, and welcome.

Speaker 1: 0:45

Today we are going to explore the concept of Kaizen, explaining its origins and its significance in both personal and professional development. But before to go forward, as always, please subscribe, so I know this is the right direction to lead you, to drive you, to guide you towards your journey to success. And let's get started, as always. So what is Kaizen exactly? It comes from Japan and it means, I quote, continuous improvement through small, incremental changes. So, if you think about it, this concept is not so hard to believe, right? So consider as an example, the damage that can appear from a volcanic eruption and how devastating it could be if the waves reach the ocean and, consequently, where we live. All right, think about how a small pinch of snow can trigger a snowball, or how an infection can lead to unfortunate situations. Think about how a viral video in today's journey can spread rapidly around the world, or that an embryo can develop into a human being from nothing. You know what I mean. It's like incredible how much impactful can be a trigger towards something bigger. Now we often hear that making gradual changes can lead to growth, but we rarely acknowledge how impactful these small changes can be. Let's be honest also here, because of course I don't want to be delusional with you. Doing just a little is not enough. All right, it needs to be effective as well. In fact, the term kaizen I love this word kaizen comes from the Japanese words kai, which means change, and zen, which translates to good or better.

Speaker 1: 3:09

Now a little bit of history here. Kaizen was first introduced as a concept in the 1940s. Guys. Even if it may appear ancient, like you know, it looks like an ancient word may appear ancient, like you know, it looks like an ancient world If you think about it. We're talking about, I don't know, even 70 years ago. So the Kaizen philosophy is actually more modern than we think. It developed in post-war Japan and inspired to improve both family and business practices. Also, toyota itself. Toyota employees use Kaizen to prevent defects in manufacturing. And today Kaizen in Japan is used across different industries, including healthcare, the service sector, education, retail, hospitality, making a powerful and great concept. So a typical Kaizen event has this kind of process, a process that goes something like this.

Speaker 1: 4:23

So the first point is set goal and provide any necessary background. The second point is review the current state and develop a plan for improvements. The third one is implement improvements. The fourth is review and fix what doesn't work Okay. And the fifth point is report results and decide on any follow-up items. Now I'm going to give you my personal example with the podcast, as always, so you understand better a little bit. So the first point, they say, is setting goals and provide background.

Speaker 1: 5:06

So for me, for me, this meant deciding to escalate my podcast through podcast advertisements, all right, in these recent months. Number two review current state and develop a plan for improvements. So I evaluated whether my cost per listener and follower was worth the price I was paying. Okay, review current state and develop a plan for improvements. Number two. Number three implement improvements. So with my podcast guys, I noticed from some discussions on reddit that my costs weren't real effective, so I decided to focus on creating an attractive logo. Number four review and fix what doesn't work. So, while the logo led to some improvement a visible improvement, guys it wasn't as impactful as I had hoped. So I decided to improve my call to action, seeking to attract listeners better. You know Number five. So we have report results and decide follow-up items. In this case, I observed some improvement metrics and I organized everything into a sheet to consider if it was worthwhile or not. So, after waiting a few months to analyze retention from my previous listeners, I found out, guys, that I did have some retention even without running any ads. So, as a result, today I plan to continue with the same strategy and improve it wherever possible.

Speaker 1: 6:53

So, to simplify things for you, here is a quick overview of the process. First point we have a plan, so it's crucial to develop and formulate hypotheses. The second point is do so. This involves running experiments. It can be a bit frustrating because you know you're going to experience several reasonable failures. But yes, guys, I mean, that's part of the game. Failing is part of the game you cannot avoid, so you'll never will. Then we have a third point, that's check. You know, check, double check. So this step is about understanding the results of your experiments. And then we have the fourth point is act acting. So this means refining, polishing your experiment and then starting a new cycle.

Speaker 1: 7:47

Okay, now let's discuss how we can implement kaizen in your self-growth journey towards your family, your business, your partner and so on, because that's what we're talking about here right, your journey to success using this new ideology. So today I'm going to share these 10 tips for you that can truly blow your brain. Why? Because they are so simple and they can be easily achievable. So the number one is the first point.

Speaker 1: 8:23

The first tip is start small. Start small. That's very important. Of course, if you have the right energy and the time you need, you can always escalate later, right, but if you think about it, it's like a snowball effect. So it's important to start small, because we're only capable of handling a limited amount of energy each day. So if you spend all energy let's say your energy at once, you you will not be able to focus on what truly matters, guys. So this focus is especially crucial in the beginning, as you work to understand what is most important for you. So it's better to concentrate on one thing without overwhelming yourself. For example, we previously discussed my podcast ad strategy concentrate on one thing without overwhelming yourself. Okay, for example, we previously discussed my podcast ad strategy.

Speaker 1: 9:27

I'm only experimenting with ads now, after several years, because, even though I want to grow in this way sooner, the truth is that I wasn't ready. I wasn't. The truth is that I wasn't ready. I wasn't. Making rash decisions can wrongly guide you into a cycle that can lead you to overwhelm yourself. Remember that, because when you do too much, you don't know what is your priority anymore. Remember, balance is very important here. It's important everywhere, but also here, in this concept. Now, how do I know that? Just, you know, for more than a decade I used to make the same mistake. I used to be there to do this, to do that. No, no, no, no. You have to be focused. So believe me on this. Simply believe on this. Be focused and start small.

Speaker 1: 10:14

Number two build good habits. The Kaizen approach emphasizes making small, daily improvements, as we said already, which means that developing good habits can be essential to leverage this strategy to your advantage. So it is important to identify a habit you would like to develop and adjust your routine to support it later. All right. For example, right now, I'm currently learning Dutch. Well, dutch, it is not the most attractive language overall, of course, and in my opinion, I don't even consider myself very good at languages, if I really have to be honest, but I know it is important for me. Plus, I have to practice this language regularly, otherwise I forget it. So, to maintain my progress, what do I do? I try to start my day with Dutch practice, even if I can't always achieve this, because I'm a human being and it is what it is. I make an effort and it really works for me. You know, starting with the unlike thing in the beginning of the day.

Speaker 1: 11:39

Number three learn from mistakes. Kaizen encouraged us to view mistakes as opportunities for growth. So instead of punishing yourself when you make mistakes, guys, it is important to reflect on what went wrong and how you can improve next time. And it's funny because, before it became a journey to success, one of my earlier podcast names was From Failure to Success. My fiance still calls it this way sometimes. Let's be honest how many mistakes do I make during an episode, even now, even here, maybe because of my accent and grammar? You know, honestly, there was a time when I wasn't sure you truly understood me Truly, in my opinion. If you check my previous seasons, you can notice they were not the best, and that is absolutely normal. I believe that the only way to improve is to keep doing it. So keep making mistakes. Keep making cringe mistakes, all right, it's that simple.

Speaker 1: 12:54

Number four In involve others. Did you know that the moment you promise someone that you will achieve something, your chance of success increase and additionally, cooperating with someone can double those chances as well? Operating with someone can double those chances as well, and if you brainstorm with others, you will gain more insights and valuable perspectives based on shared failures, which can teach both of you valuable lessons without replicating the same mistakes. In a few words, guys involving others actually, let's say properly involving the right people who are in your environment, who have the same frequency as you and who believe in your cause, can announce your chances of success. Okay, number five embrace change. Kaizen is about making continuous improvements we say that already which means being open to change, so don't be afraid to try new things or experiment with different approaches.

Speaker 1: 14:08

Okay, number six focus on process. Kaizen emphasized the importance of focusing on the process rather than just the results, for example, in the context of my podcast. Still, if my goal is to gain listeners, but retention rates are low, I may end up spending money without seeing any growth. Right, this indicates that my process needs improvement. It could be because of my communication style or how I present information, or maybe my voice, you know, my voice maybe still sounds monotone or boring. Whatever is the reason, it shows that my process is not as effective as I wish, leading to poor results. But by setting clear and effective processes, I'm more likely to achieve positive outcomes.

Speaker 1: 15:12

Okay, number seven measure progress. Number seven measure progress. We have already discussed the importance of measuring progress. Okay, kaizen encourages us to track our results. So if you don't measure your progress, how can you identify what is working and what needs improvement? Use a pen and paper, a laptop, I don't know. Simply check your stats. By doing this, you can identify areas for improvement and take action based on your conclusions.

Speaker 1: 15:51

Number eight be patient Totally. In anything you do in your life and any technique you like to use for your dreams, for your success, you need to be patient, and the kaizen method is not something to rush either. You know you should have a clear starting point and a hypothetical end point. Hypothetical endpoint anticipated ups and downs. Understand and knowledge failures, uh, learn from these uh mistakes and move forward like a roller coaster. You know that goes straight towards the sky still a roller coaster, though, but you know, towards the sky, up up.

Speaker 1: 16:45

Number nine celebrate success. Since Kaizen is about small steps, meanwhile, you need to have the patience of a Buddha. The truth is that you must celebrate success. Okay, kaizen is all about making minor improvements every day, and since you need patience for that, it is important to celebrate your successes along the way. Okay, celebrate your progress, guys, and acknowledge the hard work you have put in in a way to achieve your goals.

Speaker 1: 17:22

Number 10. Keep learning. Kaizen promotes a mindset of continuous learning and improvement. Once you complete a project cycle, you gain numerous skills that can help you learn new abilities in a more effective way. So, as you progress, you will accumulate so much knowledge that you will eventually master whatever you want to do. So, no matter who you aspire to be, you can become better than you ever thought possible, exceeding your expectations. However, you must first believe in yourself. That belief is what truly matters in the end.

Speaker 1: 18:07

Okay, in simple terms, kaizen is about continuous improvement and making small, steady changes that add up to big results over time. Think of it like a snowball rolling downhill. Okay, like we said before, at first it's tiny, but as it keeps moving, it grows bigger and bigger. That's how progress works. The same principle applies to anything in life, okay. So your career, career, health, skills, uh, relationships.

Speaker 1: 18:43

But here's the key small changes alone are not enough. Okay, they need to be intentional, guys, and you need to be patient and consistent. So just doing random small things won't get you anywhere. Okay, you have to understand that. You need to focus on effective improvements that align with your goals. Now I want to hear from you what is your biggest takeaway from today's episode. How will you apply this to your journey? If this episode inspired you guys, share it with someone who needs to hear it. As you already know, your support means a lot to me and can help someone else out there. Keep pushing forward, take action and trust the process. Okay, thanks for being part of the Journey to Success family, and see you in the next episode. Cheers.