One of the biggest things that can disrupt any long term plan or strategy to deal with a problem is the lack of patience. After committing to a strategy, the monotony of sticking to the same plan or the feeling that it is going too slow might end up causing us to abandon the plan prematurely. Once this plan is abandoned, we are slowed down significantly as we are then forced to come up with a new plan. Sometimes we might just abandon the strategy without developing a new strategy.
Kaizen is an approach to the long haul of problem solving. Likewise, it requires the utmost patience to be able to work toward solutions with a slow, measured approach. Patience is a virtue however, as no major plan is ever finished quickly. Choosing to adopt a mindset of patience will allow for you to work at a sustainable pace in solving your problems. The keyword is sustainable.
There are many strategies that can be developed that push you too hard. Sometimes these extremely aggressive strategies can help you get things done quickly and effectively, but they often take a great deal of focus, concentration and energy. Eventually your energy or interest level will decrease due to the intensity of the program and there will be a loss of efficiency along the way. It’s far better to take it slow and steady than to burn out at the beginning of the project.
