One of my interests is finding books within the non-fiction category which provide advice/guidance that can be very useful within the workplace, at home, and outside activities. I review the books on The New York Times website of Best Sellers which includes a Best Sellers Nonfiction "Advice" section. Whenever there appears a book to be useful I buy and read it. Sometimes I have found books that not only provide useful but have made a profound difference in my life. One book in this category is One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer, Ph.D. It is a very small book that can be read quickly. Maurer tells his readers that small steps lead to big results. His simple tenet is that we can bring about behavioral change, pursue personal growth, and accomplish large projects simply by starting with small, doable steps, and by making steady progress and continuous improvement. The Japanese have named this concept Kaizen. Maurer believes that businesses, groups, and individuals can benefit from the Kaizen way. His theory is that when humans attempt large-scale, revolutionary change, a fear response is triggered in the brain. As part of our evolutionary, survival mechanism, the brain registers an alarm whenever we deviate significantly from our usual safe routines. This response is the “flight or fight” response associated with stress—and change is often stressful. This fear response shuts down creativity and concentration.

Small changes, on the other hand, sidestep the fear response, allowing the brain to accommodate the new response, laying down new neural pathways while we build new habits. Even when it comes to eliminating our bad habits, like addictions, overeating, or compulsive spending, Maurer recommends that instead of going “cold turkey”, we should taper off gradually, thereby avoiding feelings of deprivation that often lead to relapse. Here are six strategies Maurer provides in the book: 1) Ask small questions to dispel fear and inspire creativity: 2) Think small thoughts to develop new skills and habits---without moving a muscle. This is tried and true method of mental rehearsal. 3) Take small actions that guarantee success. It’s easier to take small steps that take little time, effort, or expense, rather than attempt a massive overhaul, all at once. 4) Solve small problems, even when you are faced with overwhelming crisis. 5) Bestow small rewards on yourself and others to produce best results. 6) Recognize the small but crucial moments that everyone else ignores.

Kaizen Way has been useful in my work and personal life, whether it's dealing with clutter to painting my apartment. Painting has always been something that I just cannot do. My apartment needed painting but with a special paint which would require a lengthy drying period of several days between the coats which most professional painters would not find acceptable except for a high fee. So I decided to apply the Kaizen Way by painting just one wall over one weekend. It worked, and I painted my apartment over a period of time. By taking small steps, I accomplished something that would have been extremely difficult if not impossible.

**Editor's Note: Would you like to review a book you've found particularly inspirational and helpful? If so, please forward your review to phoenix@stthomasdc.org.