I’ve been reading Simon Sinek’s Start With Why and was struck by a story regarding some American automakers visiting a Japanese car manufacturing plant. When they observed the doors being fitted to the vehicle, they noticed the Japanese weren’t checking the door alignment and using a mallet to adjust the door. When the Americans commented on the lack of adjustments, the Japanese responded that they didn’t need to; they design the parts to fit perfectly from the start. I echo the book’s argument, but it is astounding how many times we find it acceptable to move things along and then fix and adjust later. Instead, we should focus on getting things done correctly from the beginning: it will yield better and more reliable results, and it will save us time in the long run.

This week, I’m going to focus on applying this advice to my work, chores at home, and improving my health.