Ep-029: Kaizen Revisited—Obsession with Value and Eliminating Overproduction

Welcome back! Let me ask you: are you grinding away but still feeling stuck, like your hard work isn’t paying off? In this episode, we dive into something that changed the game for me: obsession with value. What if doing less—not more—was the secret to getting better results? We’ll talk about cutting out the fluff, knowing who you’re really working for (hint: it might be you), and focusing on what truly matters. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or like your efforts aren’t hitting the mark, trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.

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What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

What it means to have an obsession with value and why it’s essential for productivity.

How to identify your “customer” in every interaction—even when it’s yourself.

The dangers of overproduction and how to avoid wasting time and effort.

Real-world examples of applying Kaizen to personal and professional growth.

Simple strategies for seeking feedback to refine your work and improve outcomes.

The Vital Few (TVF) Timestamps:

[00:00 - 00:26] What’s the Missing Link in Your Productivity?
Kick off the episode with a surprising insight into Kaizen’s second principle.

[00:27 - 01:06] Why “Value” Might Be Your Secret Weapon
Discover why understanding value changes everything about how you work.

[01:07 - 02:00] The Question You’re Not Asking (But Should Be)
Find out how redefining “customer” can transform your focus.

[02:01 - 06:00] Unlocking Value in Unexpected Places
Explore how small mindset shifts reveal opportunities to deliver more.

[06:01 - 09:00] A Hidden Lesson from Toyota’s Success
What industrial giants can teach us about cutting waste and maximizing results.

[09:01 - 13:00] Are You Focused on the Wrong Things?
How to stop spinning your wheels and uncover what truly matters.

[13:01 - 15:00] The Silent Productivity Killer
Why doing too much might be the exact thing holding you back.

[15:01 - 18:00] A Simple Shift That Changes Everything
Learn how feedback can help you work smarter, not harder.

[18:01 - End] What’s the One Thing You’ll Do Differently?
Challenge yourself to take action and make Kaizen principles work for you.

Get up to 48% off Magic Mind mental performance shots. Go to https://magicmind.com/anthonysanni and use CODE: ANTHONYS20

Notes and References

Part 1 of Kaizen Episodes:
Ep-028: The Kaizen Secret—How Tiny Changes Lead to Big Wins: https://anthonysanni.com/podcast/ep-028-unlock-unstoppable-productivity-how-small-daily-improvements-can-overcome-burnout-procrastination-and-overwhelm

Virtuous Laziness Episode:
Ep-009: On Zipf’s Law of Least Effort and virtuous laziness: https://anthonysanni.com/podcast/ep-009-zipfs-law-of-least-and-why-laziness-is-good

Episode on 80/20 Quadrants for productivity:
Ep-025: Zero sum game of time—How to beat the game and do more by doing less I: https://anthonysanni.com/podcast/ep-05-how-to-beat-the-losing-game-of-time-management-using-the-pareto-principle

Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success

Imai, Masaaki. Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success. McGraw-Hill, 1986.

For those interested in learning more about Kaizen and how this principle transformed Japan’s manufacturing industries, check out Masaaki Imai’s classic book, Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success. It’s a great read for understanding the roots of this continuous improvement philosophy.

3.                     Justin Welsh’s newsletter on the businesswoman who sought feedback and used to to increase profits after her product flopped.

https://www.justinwelsh.me/newsletter/her-product-flopped-then-she-3xed-revenue

4.                     Referenced Book by Jack Canfield’s book about asking a partner for feedback on relationships

1.                     The Success Principles: https://www.harpercollins.ca/9780062395702/the-success-principlestm-10th-anniversary-edition/

5.                     Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)

Sanni, Anthony. The 80/20 Way to Productivity: Do More by Doing Less. Anthony’s Book: The Law of The Vital Few

At 80/20 Productivity, we believe in focusing on the few things that make the biggest difference. This idea is based on the Pareto Principle, which tells us that 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts. To dive deeper into this, check out The Law of The Vital Few which breaks down how you can apply this rule to everything from work to personal growth.