How To Set Systems Instead Of Goals (a system that will change your life)

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares a powerful shift from traditional goal setting to building systems for success. Through a personal story of frustration with unmet goals, the speaker highlights how systems—simple, daily actions—are more effective than rigid, arbitrary goals. Systems create habits, work even on bad days, and drive sustainable progress. The speaker provides a three-step approach to create systems: start small, focus on consistency, and track the system. Ultimately, success is about the reliable systems you build, not just the goals you set.

Takeaways

• 😀 Traditional goal-setting often leads to frustration and lack of progress, especially when goals remain unchanged over time.
• 😀 The key to success isn't in setting goals, but in creating systems that lead to consistent progress.
• 😀 Goals provide direction, but systems are the vehicle that gets you to your destination.
• 😀 Focusing on systems allows for automatic progress, while goals often depend on external motivation that can fluctuate.
• 😀 Systems are stress-free because they focus on daily actions rather than hitting arbitrary targets or numbers.
• 😀 Systems create lasting habits, whereas goals are often temporary and can leave you wondering what comes next once achieved.
• 😀 Even on your worst days, systems work, whereas goals are heavily reliant on motivation that can be inconsistent.
• 😀 A personal example: by switching from goal-based thinking to system-building in business, growth accelerated through consistent daily actions.
• 😀 Effective systems should be simple, small, and easy to maintain, starting with tiny, laughable steps like writing 50 words or doing one push-up.
• 😀 Consistency is key for systems; small daily actions are far more sustainable than bursts of intense activity.
• 😀 Instead of tracking your results, track whether you followed the system, as the results will naturally follow from consistent actions.

Q & A

Why did the speaker feel frustrated with their goals six months ago?

The speaker felt frustrated because they had written down the same goals for two years, yet none of them were being accomplished. Despite following self-help advice, such as setting SMART goals and visualizing success, they weren't seeing any progress.

What significant realization did the speaker have during the coffee meeting with their friend?

The speaker was shocked when their friend, who had built a successful business, shared that they hadn’t set any goals in the past three years. This challenged the speaker's beliefs about the importance of goal setting.

What is the key difference between goals and systems, according to the speaker?

The key difference is that goals are the destinations or outcomes you want to achieve, while systems are the processes or daily actions that help you get there. Systems are more focused on the actions you take, rather than just the results.

How does the speaker compare a goal to a system using the example of losing weight?

A goal to lose 20 lbs is just a destination, but a system involves daily actions that make achieving the goal possible, like meal prepping or going for regular walks. The system is the vehicle that helps you reach the destination.

What personal experience did the speaker share to demonstrate the effectiveness of systems over goals?

The speaker shared how their online business struggled to grow when they focused solely on revenue numbers as goals. When they switched to a system of consistent actions, like researching market trends and connecting with clients, the business began growing faster.

What are the three massive advantages of systems over traditional goal setting?

1. Systems are stress-free, as they focus on daily actions rather than arbitrary numbers. 2. Systems create lasting habits that become part of your life. 3. Systems work even on your worst days, unlike goals which often depend on motivation.

How does the speaker's morning routine exemplify the power of systems?

The speaker’s morning system, which includes actions like waking up at 6 a.m., making the bed, drinking water, and focusing on the most important task for 90 minutes, made productivity automatic. By following the system, the speaker didn’t need to think about being productive anymore.

Why does the speaker emphasize starting with small, simple systems?

Starting with small, simple systems makes them easy to implement and sustainable. By making the actions feel almost laughable, the system becomes effortless to maintain and sets the foundation for consistency.

What is the importance of consistency over intensity in building systems?

Consistency is key because systems are about sustainable, long-term progress. It’s more effective to do something small every day than to exert a lot of effort in short bursts. Consistency ensures gradual improvement without burnout.

How does tracking the system, rather than the goal, help in achieving success?

Tracking the system focuses on the daily actions that lead to progress, rather than obsessing over the final results. This helps build habits and ensures that progress is made continuously, even if the results aren’t immediately visible.