"The Power of Kaizen: Small Steps Towards Great Changes and Hidden Fortunes"

"The Power of Kaizen: Small Steps Towards Great Changes and Hidden Fortunes"

To make great changes in your life, follow the philosophy of kaizen. When we fail in our goals, we are less likely to do well in the future. Success begets success, and failure repeats itself. But the point is not to be perfect, but to be better; flawlessness is impossible. Trite, vapid, and ill-defined targets will get you nowhere. It literally translates as "good change," and it's the practice of gradual, continuous improvement. We live in an age of quick fixes and instant gratification, but kaizen is neither. Its slow, determined improvement can seem pointlessly small and insignificant when taken alone. But just as many drops will one day make an ocean, kaizen can transform any life.

As the days turn to years, you will look back on who you were with new eyes. Tidying your house. Sporting achievement. But any race or feat of endurance is simply one small step after another. Changing your character. It's impossible to "be kind" overnight. It takes small, gradual change — it takes kaizen. So, consciously try to do one kind thing before lunch. But, slowly, slowly and over great time, great things can be done.

Take the story of Janitor Ronald Read, who left behind a secret fortune of $8,000,000. Like the super-majority of Americans who are in the top 1% of wealth, Ronald was stealthy about it, keeping his money a secret from even his own children and friends. They knew he enjoyed investing but were reportedly shocked to discover upon his death that he had a safe deposit box with a stack of stock certificates five inches thick.

Ronald's story is a testament to the power of kaizen. He started investing at the age of 37 and continued for over 50 years. Multiple times, he would have seen his portfolio value decline by 50% or more on paper, but he just plugged away at it with discipline, acquiring more ownership of productive assets despite the challenges life threw at him. He only bought ownership in businesses he knew and understood through first-hand experience, similar to investing guru Warren Buffet.

The connection between kaizen and Ronald's story is clear - both emphasize the importance of small, gradual steps towards improvement and success. Just as Ronald steadily built his wealth over time, so too can we make significant changes in our lives through consistent, incremental actions.

So, what can we learn from the philosophy of kaizen and Ronald Read's story? Here are three actionable pieces of advice: