Quality is so Easy, Why Settle for Less?

The Principles of Quality

	Quality is Easy GIVE IT A TRY
Home Contact Don Order the Book ESSAYS ON QUALITY What Is Quality? Quality as a Tool for Success The Necessary Steps Before Personal Improvement Can Occur The Difference Between Personal Development and Personal Improvement Quality is so Easy, Why Settle for Less? Quality is an Attitude Increase Your Success by Increasing Quality Responses from readers: "I am truly blown away." D.D. "If you're looking for immediate results, try applying the principles presented in this book." L.M. "This book has inspired me to raise the bar in all areas of my life, and with your simple and realistic approach, I know that I can!" M.Y.	Quality means making things better One of the easiest ways to improve your life is to increase quality in all you do. When you do something better, you are increasing quality. When you make something better, you are increasing its quality. It doesn't matter how much better. Even a little tiny bit better is still an improvement. Then a little bit more than that next time, and a tiny bit more after that, and the effects add up rapidly. Why do people settle for less? Usually, because they are taught to, by their bosses, their co-workers, by television and movies, and by their own experience. Very often it seems like extra effort is wasted, and sometimes even ridiculed. The "Why Bother?" syndrome is very widespread. This explains a lot about the mediocrity so common in society. To the thinking person, though, it also presents a huge opportunity: the easiest way in the world to really stand out from the crowd. The actual principles of quality, what it is and how to achieve it, are largely unknown. Most of the common sayings about quality – "If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right," or "Close enough for government work" – are completely false. But when the truth isn't known, untruth will have free rein. The principles of quality Here is the truth, and the first major principle of quality: Quality is an Attitude. Quality doesn't just happen; it is created. How is it created? By somebody wanting to do something better. Better than what? Doesn't matter. The attitude is what matters. Maybe he wants to do something better than his neighbor. Maybe he wants to do something better than he did it before. Whatever the reason, he has the attitude that creates quality. Higher quality, by definition, just means better. Not best, not as good as possible, just better. How can anything be easier? Something put away instead of being left out. A plant watered before it starts to wilt. A light turned out when leaving the room. A paper clip picked up off the floor. A file drawer closed. Little actions which are better to be done than not done. Getting this quality attitude, building it into your life, is also very easy. Do you think that something getting better is preferable to it staying the same or getting worse? If so, and if you can remember that every day, you have and you can strengthen a quality attitude. Strangely enough, the stronger it gets, the easier it gets. Then you run into the second major principle: Quality Leads to Opposition. Life and people do tend to put obstacles in the way of improvement. Opinions often differ as to what is better, or how you should use your time. Some people don't like others to do things better, because it makes them look worse. So this part of quality may not be so easy. If you aren't fully applying the first principle of quality, and keeping your quality attitude, this second principle can stop you in your tracks. Trying to do things right can get discouraging when even your best friends are telling you that you are being foolish or trying too hard. Knowing this principle, knowing that it is a real principle of quality, you can deal with it, by holding on to the first principle tightly and ignoring anyone who puts you down or gets in your way. The third major principle of quality is that Quality Takes Time. It does take three extra seconds to put the staple in the wastebasket instead of brushing it onto the floor. It takes two minutes to double-check the form before mailing it. Another minute to write neat numbers that other people can read. What you will learn fairly quickly is that if quality takes time, it gives back much more: pride, efficiency, recognition, and quite often it even gives back more time than it took, because the job doesn't have to be fixed or redone. Time spent on making or doing things a little better is never time wasted. Above are the three major principles of quality. Use them, and make your life better. There are more, and specific actions, but these principles underlie all the rest. They are easy. They work. Use them. Anyone Can Improve His or Her Life: The Principles of Quality goes into much greater depth about quality than this little essay can, and makes everything very easy. Have fun with it. Let me know how it goes for you.
Copyright © 2009 Don Dewsnap All rights reserved worldwide.

Quality is Easy

GIVE IT A TRY

Home
Contact Don
Order the Book

ESSAYS ON QUALITY

What Is Quality?

Quality as a Tool for Success

The Necessary Steps Before Personal Improvement Can Occur

The Difference Between Personal Development and Personal Improvement

Quality is so Easy, Why Settle for Less?

Quality is an Attitude

Increase Your Success by Increasing Quality

Responses from
readers:

"I am truly blown away."
      D.D.

"If you're looking for immediate results, try applying the principles presented in this book."
      L.M.

"This book has inspired me to raise the bar in all areas of my life, and with your simple and realistic approach, I know that I can!"
      M.Y.

Quality means making things better

One of the easiest ways to improve your life is to increase quality in all you do.

When you do something better, you are increasing quality. When you make something better, you are increasing its quality. It doesn't matter how much better. Even a little tiny bit better is still an improvement. Then a little bit more than that next time, and a tiny bit more after that, and the effects add up rapidly.

Why do people settle for less? Usually, because they are taught to, by their bosses, their co-workers, by television and movies, and by their own experience. Very often it seems like extra effort is wasted, and sometimes even ridiculed. The "Why Bother?" syndrome is very widespread. This explains a lot about the mediocrity so common in society. To the thinking person, though, it also presents a huge opportunity: the easiest way in the world to really stand out from the crowd.

The actual principles of quality, what it is and how to achieve it, are largely unknown. Most of the common sayings about quality – "If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right," or "Close enough for government work" – are completely false. But when the truth isn't known, untruth will have free rein.

The principles of quality

Here is the truth, and the first major principle of quality: Quality is an Attitude.

Quality doesn't just happen; it is created. How is it created? By somebody wanting to do something better. Better than what? Doesn't matter. The attitude is what matters. Maybe he wants to do something better than his neighbor. Maybe he wants to do something better than he did it before. Whatever the reason, he has the attitude that creates quality.

Higher quality, by definition, just means better. Not best, not as good as possible, just better. How can anything be easier? Something put away instead of being left out. A plant watered before it starts to wilt. A light turned out when leaving the room. A paper clip picked up off the floor. A file drawer closed. Little actions which are better to be done than not done.

Getting this quality attitude, building it into your life, is also very easy. Do you think that something getting better is preferable to it staying the same or getting worse? If so, and if you can remember that every day, you have and you can strengthen a quality attitude. Strangely enough, the stronger it gets, the easier it gets.

Then you run into the second major principle: Quality Leads to Opposition. Life and people do tend to put obstacles in the way of improvement. Opinions often differ as to what is better, or how you should use your time. Some people don't like others to do things better, because it makes them look worse. So this part of quality may not be so easy. If you aren't fully applying the first principle of quality, and keeping your quality attitude, this second principle can stop you in your tracks. Trying to do things right can get discouraging when even your best friends are telling you that you are being foolish or trying too hard. Knowing this principle, knowing that it is a real principle of quality, you can deal with it, by holding on to the first principle tightly and ignoring anyone who puts you down or gets in your way.

The third major principle of quality is that Quality Takes Time. It does take three extra seconds to put the staple in the wastebasket instead of brushing it onto the floor. It takes two minutes to double-check the form before mailing it. Another minute to write neat numbers that other people can read. What you will learn fairly quickly is that if quality takes time, it gives back much more: pride, efficiency, recognition, and quite often it even gives back more time than it took, because the job doesn't have to be fixed or redone. Time spent on making or doing things a little better is never time wasted.

Above are the three major principles of quality. Use them, and make your life better. There are more, and specific actions, but these principles underlie all the rest. They are easy. They work. Use them.

Anyone Can Improve His or Her Life: The Principles of Quality goes into much greater depth about quality than this little essay can, and makes everything very easy.

Have fun with it. Let me know how it goes for you.