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The Continuous Improvement Mindset

“An extraordinary life is all about daily, continuous improvements in the areas that matter most,” writes author Robin Sharma. The most successful people and organizations focus significantly on continuous improvement. Many high achievers naturally think in a way that fosters growth while others have developed the skill over time. In either situation, a continuous improvement mindset helps guide people to higher levels of success. 

The first step in developing a continuous improvement mindset is deciding on the goal. If you don’t know where you’re going, then it’s challenging to evaluate the process from an improvement lens. We can’t achieve everything all at once, so it’s important to laser focus on what matters most. With a continuous improvement mindset, people can reach many goals in life, but it’s important to start with the most significant or important.  

The next step is to develop an in-depth process and specifically write it out. A lot of people talk about “the process,” but few write it out to better evaluate whether they’re following it. It’s important to continually assess whether they’re doing all the necessary items to reach the goal. Asking questions is a great way to evaluate the process: Am I doing everything I can to reach this goal? Am I doing too much or too little? What could I change about my actions or habits? Am I doing the right actions or are there others that I haven’t yet tried? Evaluate the process and revise it as necessary. 

The last step is to know when the goal has been reached. It’s critical to remember that some goals might take years to achieve, and it’s a life-long journey while others are shorter in length and intensity. The goal should be defined clearly enough, so there’s no question about whether it’s been accomplished. Once the goal is met, then it’s back to setting a new goal and a new process. 

The continuous improvement mindset means that few things are ever really finished, but it also means understanding that nothing will be perfect. Chase excellence in everything, but acknowledge when it’s the best possible outcome. 

How would you define the continuous improvement mindset or process?