The Data Behind Small Steps: Living My Kaizen

 There’s a concept in Japanese Philosophy called Kaizen - it translates to continuous improvement, the idea that consistent, small actions compound into meaningful transformation over time.

When I first read about it, something clicked. Maybe because I came from a background in data and business analytics, where improvement is also built through small interactions - test, learn, refine, repeat. We don’t aim for perfection in one go; we build better systems through cycles.

In many ways, that’s what this year has been for me - one long, human experiment in Kaizen.

At the end of January, I came back from Brisbane with uncertainty in my suitcase. My studies had been interrupted. My plans felt paused. I wasn’t sure how to measure progress anymore, because the usual markers - grades, jobs, structure - had blurred.

But over time, I learned that even in personal growth, the data is there - it’s just quieter. It’s in the number of days you show up for yourself, the new things you learn, the small risks you take.

Slowly, I began rebuilding - rewriting my resume, revisiting my uni notes, applying for jobs. Each step felt small on its own, but over time, the patterns were clear: consistency works.

Now, in October, I’m two weeks into my job. Every task, every discussion, every challenge adds a new data point in this journey of improvement. I notice that the same principles I’ve studied in analytics apply to life:

  • Feedback loops matter. Reflection is feedback - it tells you what to improve next.
  • Iteration beats perfection. Every attempt refines your process.
  • Progress compounds. Even 1% growth each day can lead to transformation.
That’s what Kaizen really means to me - not just a philosophy, but a system. One where learning, patience, and discipline form the framework for lasting change.

When I analyse this year like a dataset, the trend line isn’t linear. There were dips, pauses, even flat lines. But overall, the slope moves upward - steady and real.

And that, to me, is success: quiet, measurable, human Kaizen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This Chapter Is Called "For Myself"

     The past five years of my life have been the most intense. They have been filled with emotions, struggles, hardships, small wins, bigger losses, countless breakdowns, and many unfulfilled dreams. I have always looked forward to starting new in certain aspects of my life, wanting to leave all of these experiences behind. However, a small part of me wanted to hold on to the past years- especially when we typically let go of the bad parts of our past. I realized even the difficult memories should be a part of my story, something I experienced and lived through, they belonged to me. Today, I am glad I chose to hold on to every part of it, even the painful and bitter ones.  During those years, I somehow lost myself amidst all the struggles and forgot how to be ' me' . Little did I know, it would take a long time before I would recognize the stranger, 'me' . But embracing, forgiving, and accepting those past memories has allowed me to develop a newfound respect for my...
Read more

The Room of The Mind, The Two Selves and The Ghosts at The Table

 The room of my mind is never empty. It shifts with the seasons, sometimes warm, washed in gold, with open windows that let laughter wander in from the distant places. Other times, it is winter there. The curtains drawn, the air still, a silence that feels heavy enough to touch. I know every corner of this room, the desk where I write the thoughts I am too afraid to speak, the worn chair which remembers the weight of my tiredness, the shelves where I place pieces of the past I am not ready to let go. Somewhere in this room, two selves live together. One self remembers the years when love travelled across oceans. The way conversations could steady a restless night, the hours of laughter. She is soft-eyed, unguarded, certain that what was built over years could not be undone by a single season apart. The other stands by the door with her coat on. She remembers the night the truth arrived - uninvited, unyielding, and edged with shapes her mind had never dared to imagine. She knows the...
Read more

Procrastination, the trauma in disguise: A story we don't talk about enough

     We are programmed to think procrastination is just a bad habit, a sign of laziness, or simply the lack of motivation. But for many of us, it's something much deeper. Procrastination can be a cry from our nervous system - a hidden signal that we are overwhelmed, scared, afraid, or still healing from something we haven't even named yet. We are taught procrastination is about time management when it's about emotional survival.  Trauma doesn't always scream. Sometimes it whispers      Trauma doesn't always look like a dramatic event. Sometimes it's quiet and subtle. It just creeps in - through a betrayal, an overwhelming period of stress, or even a buildup of long-term emotion suppression or neglect. The mind and body can absorb the shock without us realizing how deeply it affects us. Without understanding this, we tend to punish ourselves for not functioning "normally". We tell ourselves that it's not a big deal, thus invalidating our pain. That...
Read more