Kaizen: The Japanese Secret to Lasting Change - Small Steps to Big Goals

by Sarah Harvey

Overview

Reach your goals with Kaizen—the Japanese art of gentle self-improvement

From Hygge to Ikigai, positive philosophies have taken the world by storm. Now, Kaizen—meaning “good change”—will help you transform your habits, without being too hard on yourself along the way. With Kaizen, even the boldest intention becomes a series of small, achievable steps. Each person’s approach will be different, which is why it’s so effective.

First popularized by Toyota, Kaizen is already proven in the worlds of business and sports. Here, Sarah Harvey shows how to apply it to your health, relationships, money, career, hobbies, and home—and how to tailor it to your personality. Kaizen is the key to lasting change!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615196579
Publisher:	The Experiment
Publication date:	01/21/2020
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	211,509
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Sarah Harvey was living in Tokyo working as a freelance book scout and publishing consultant when she fell in love with Japanese culture and was introduced to Kaizen. After a life-changing time away, Sarah now lives in London, where she works for a literary agency and spends a not-insignificant portion of her time searching for a Japanese-standard bowl of tonkotsu ramen.

Editorial Reviews

12/02/2019

In her approachable debut, Harvey, who worked as a publishing rights consultant in Japan, uses straightforward, encouraging language and inspiring photographs to explain the Japanese art of kaizen (“good change”), which advocates taking small steps toward achieving big goals. To begin, Harvey writes, one must identify the habit to be changed or goal to be achieved, then inventory priorities, formulate a plan of improvement, decide the time frame to meet the goal, create a daily or monthly to-do list, and keep a progress journal. While her prologue and introduction explore her exposure to Kaizen and the history of the practice in Japan, the bulk of the text serves purely as a guide for readers. If one encounters stumbling blocks, Harvey suggests adjusting targets to create more achievable goals and seeking support from family and friends. True change can take days, months, or years, she notes, and the process should be allowed to unfold without discouragement. Harvey also provides simple but practical steps—visiting a museum for a cultural fix and organizing trips, for example—to encourage new ways of thinking. Self-help enthusiasts interested in Japanese philosophies will find Harvey’s practical advice constructive, positive, and suitable for many of life’s situations. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"In Kaizen: The Japanese Secret to Lasting Change, Sarah Harvey applies the easy, achievable steps approach to making positive changes in one’s health, work, money, relationships, and modern life. . . . She is the ideal West-meets-East guide to kaizen’s profound benefits."

Foreword Reviews

"This wonderful book on the Japanese art of turning small kizuki (realizations) into improvements will help anyone interested in lifelong learning, health, career success, and happiness to achieve inner harmony."

Ken Mogi

Self-help enthusiasts interested in Japanese philosophies will find Harvey’s practical advice constructive, positive, and suitable for many of life’s situations.”—Publishers Weekly

“In Kaizen: The Japanese Secret to Lasting Change, Sarah Harvey applies the easy, achievable steps approach to making positive changes in one’s health, work, money, relationships, and modern life. . . .She is the ideal West-meets-East guide to kaizen’s profound benefits.”—Foreword Reviews

“This wonderful book on the Japanese art of turning small kizuki (realizations) into improvements will help anyone interested in lifelong learning, health, career success, and happiness to achieve inner harmony.”—Ken Mogi, author of Awakening Your Ikigai

From the Publisher