How to Build Systems to Actually Achieve Your Goals

Summary

In this video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of creating systems to achieve goals rather than relying on talent or luck. By making goals specific and realistic, reverse engineering inputs, setting deadlines, and tracking progress, anyone can design a system to achieve consistent success. The speaker stresses that focusing on inputs — such as daily actions and habits — is key to success. The approach is applicable across all areas of life, from fitness to business, and highlights how creating a repeatable process can lead to continuous growth and achievement.

Takeaways

• 🎯 Success issues are often not about personal flaws but about lacking a proper system.
• 📌 Goals must be specific and realistic—vague goals make progress impossible to measure.
• 💡 Setting unrealistic goals reinforces a negative self-identity and leads to repeated failure.
• 🧱 Start with achievable steps that match your current capabilities to build confidence and momentum.
• 🔁 Systems rely on inputs—focus on daily, controllable actions rather than the final outcome.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Output goals (like gaining muscle) must be supported by clear input actions (like protein intake and training sessions).
• 📝 Tracking inputs daily helps maintain accountability and ensures consistent execution.
• ⏰ Deadlines are essential—without them, tasks expand indefinitely and don’t get completed.
• 📆 Regular check-ins allow you to adjust your inputs based on actual progress rather than waiting until the end.
• 🔄 Revising and refining inputs leads to repeatable success instead of relying on luck.
• 🚀 Systems create sustainable long-term achievement across all areas: fitness, career, relationships, or business.
• 🌱 The goal of building systems is to shift your identity into someone who consistently follows through.

Q & A

What is the main issue that prevents people from achieving their goals?

The main issue is not a lack of competency or inherent flaws, but rather the absence of a system designed to make achieving goals easier. Without learning how to build systems, people struggle to follow through on their commitments.

How can setting unrealistic goals harm your progress?

Setting unrealistic goals can set you up for failure. If you attempt something beyond your current capabilities, you reinforce the identity that you're incapable of achieving things, which hampers long-term progress.

Why is it important to make your goals specific and realistic?

Making your goals specific and realistic allows you to create a clear, actionable plan. A specific goal like 'gain 3 lbs of muscle' is measurable and achievable, whereas vague goals like 'get fitter' are hard to track and accomplish.

How can you reverse engineer your inputs to achieve a goal?

To achieve a goal, focus on the inputs that drive the desired result. For instance, if your goal is to gain muscle, inputs might include eating a specific amount of protein and strength training regularly. By controlling these inputs, you can track your progress and stay accountable.

What is Parkinson's Law, and how does it apply to goal-setting?

Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time allotted for it. Without setting deadlines, tasks will stretch out indefinitely. Creating deadlines for your goals helps ensure you stay on track and prevent procrastination.

What should you do if you find it difficult to meet a deadline for a goal?

If you struggle to meet a deadline, assess whether the timeline was realistic or if adjustments are needed. It's important to revise your approach based on your actual progress, but deadlines are key to maintaining momentum.

What is the significance of tracking your progress in a goal-oriented system?

Tracking your progress is crucial because it allows you to make data-driven adjustments to your inputs. Regularly checking in ensures you're on track and can refine your methods if you're not achieving the desired outcome.

How can focusing on inputs help you achieve long-term success?

Focusing on inputs—such as actions and habits—rather than just outcomes allows you to control the process. Consistent effort on the right inputs makes success repeatable, whereas output-focused thinking often leads to frustration and burnout.

Why do people often fail to replicate success despite achieving it once?

People often fail to replicate success because they don't have a system in place to repeat it. Success driven by luck lacks the consistency of a well-designed system, making it hard to sustain or scale.

What can you do to ensure you don't fall off after experiencing a short-term success?

To avoid falling off after a short-term success, build a system around your actions and inputs. Rather than relying on luck, combine it with deliberate, repeatable actions so you can continue achieving results consistently.