You know the saying “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence”.
We see others’ lives and wish we had what they have.
This could be an accomplishment, a skill, or a physical product.
We might try to achieve the thing we admire, but it doesn’t happen.
The hill to climb seems too steep.
A Fast Company article reminded me of the concept of kaizen.
“The idea is from Japanese manufacturing, of all places. It means ‘continuous improvement’. The practice of tiny actions. A step so small your brain’s resistance (a built-in fight-or-flight response to big, scary changes) doesn’t even bother to fight it. I use the kaizen approach as a backdoor to building new neural pathways. I’m not forcing change; I’m gently guiding my brain into new habits, one step at a time.” – Thomas Oppong
My Perspective
For me, maybe kaizen sunk in from my early career in manufacturing engineering.
I’ve always been a fan of the “small step” philosophy to habits & personal development.
That was the original concept in 2010 when I created the brand One Shade Greener.
I wanted to support others in actions that were healthier for themselves and the planet.
Over time, I realized the idea of greener = better.
The performance of most anything improves as it gets greener.
This is how I started signing off many posts with this:
Day by day. Step by step. One Shade Greener.
A reminder to myself and all of you that incrementality can make a big difference.
As we move into the new year, it’s a great time to take on a One Shade Greener Challenge.
Your Turn
What big challenge is on your plate?
Where would you like your life to be one shade greener?
What is a daily activity that will get you on the path to that goal?