HOW TO SET SYSTEMS INSTEAD OF GOALS | a system that will change your life

Summary

This video script emphasizes the importance of not just setting goals, but also establishing a system to achieve them. It advocates for a top-down approach, starting with dreams and breaking them down into SMART goals, then further into actionable habits. The script suggests visualizing a dream life, identifying key outcomes, and chunking them into quarterly and weekly goals. It introduces the 'dream management system' for daily habits, recommending allocating specific time, like 5 hours a week, to work towards goals. The video also encourages finding joy in the work and contributing positively to the world.

Takeaways

• 😌 **Importance of Systems Over Goals**: The video emphasizes that while setting goals is common, having a system to achieve them is crucial for sustained focus and success throughout the year.
• 💭 **Dreams Over SMART Goals**: It suggests that focusing on dreams, which are deeply personal and emotional, is more impactful than just setting SMART goals, which can sometimes be incomplete and devoid of emotional connection.
• 🔍 **Chunking Backwards**: The process of achieving goals involves 'chunking backwards' from the desired outcome to set smaller, manageable milestones that lead to the final goal.
• ⏳ **Time-bound and Actionable**: The video points out the need to marry time-bound goals with actionable steps, arguing that being clear on when and how to achieve goals is essential.
• 📈 **Prioritization of Dreams**: It encourages viewers to identify their top dreams and prioritize them, focusing on one major dream per year to avoid spreading efforts too thin.
• 📝 **Writing Goals in the Past Tense**: A unique tip is to write goals in the past tense to create a sense of expectancy and to engage emotions in the goal-setting process.
• 🗓️ **Quarterly and Weekly Planning**: The video introduces a method of breaking down yearly goals into quarterly and then weekly goals, making them more tangible and actionable.
• 🏃‍♀️ **Daily Habits and Systems**: It stresses the importance of forming daily habits that, when strung together, form a system that propels one towards their goals.
• ⏰ **Attachment to Time**: The concept of attaching goals to specific times and days is highlighted as a way to bring goals into reality and to stay committed.
• 🌟 **Lit Up Lives**: The video concludes with the idea that pursuing what lights you up not only leads to personal fulfillment but also contributes positively to the world.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video script is on creating a system for achieving goals by connecting one's dreams to actionable habits and time-bound actions.

Why is it important to have a system for achieving goals?

Having a system is crucial because it helps maintain focus throughout the year, ensures that goals are actionable and time-bound, and prevents the shame cycle that can occur when goals are not met.

What is the significance of dreaming big in the context of goal setting?

Dreaming big is significant because it allows individuals to connect with their heart's desires, which can lead to a more fulfilling life and prevent regrets or midlife crises.

How does the video script address the issue with traditional SMART goals?

The script points out that SMART goals can be incomplete and often fail to connect actionability with time-bound goals. It suggests that these two aspects need to be intertwined for effective goal setting.

What is the 'mountain of your goal' mentioned in the script?

The 'mountain of your goal' is a metaphorical representation of the journey from one's dreams at the top to the actionable habits at the bottom, with SMART goals in between.

Why is it suggested to write goals in the past tense?

Writing goals in the past tense creates a sense of expectancy and makes the goals feel more achievable, as opposed to future tense which can make them feel like to-do items.

How does the script suggest chunking goals?

The script suggests chunking goals by working backward from the desired end result, breaking it down into smaller milestones for each quarter, month, week, and day.

What is the 'dream management system' referred to in the script?

The 'dream management system' is a set of daily habits and routines that are intentionally designed to achieve the larger goals and dreams by attaching actions to specific times.

Why is it important to attach goals to time in the system described?

Attaching goals to time is important because it grounds them in reality and makes them actionable. Time-bound goals are more likely to be achieved because they become part of one's daily routine.

How does the script suggest finding time for working on goals?

The script suggests finding 5 hours a week (the 'five to strive') to work on goals, which can be done by waking up earlier, dedicating specific times, or rearranging one's daily schedule.

What role do emotions play in the goal-setting process according to the script?

Emotions play a significant role in the goal-setting process as they help to create expectancy and motivation. The script encourages incorporating desired feelings into the goals to enhance their emotional significance.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Setting Goals and Building Systems

The paragraph emphasizes the importance of not just setting goals but also establishing a system to achieve them. It points out the limitations of SMART goals, particularly the separation of 'actionable' and 'time-bound' elements, and suggests that these should be intertwined for effective goal achievement. The speaker introduces the concept of a 'system' as a collection of habits that, when consistently practiced, will lead to the realization of one's goals. The idea is to start with a dream and break it down into SMART goals and then into a system of habits. The paragraph encourages the audience to take notes and prepare for a comprehensive guide on creating such a system.

05:02

🌟 Dreaming Big and Prioritizing Goals

This section delves into the process of envisioning one's ideal future self, urging the audience to dream without restrictions and to be as specific as possible. It suggests visualizing life in detail, including personal relationships, career, and lifestyle, to capture a vivid picture of one's aspirations. The speaker provides an exercise for this purpose and encourages the audience to write down their dreams and feelings associated with them. The paragraph also introduces a prioritization exercise to identify the most important goal to focus on for the year, highlighting the significance of emotional connection in goal setting.

10:03

📅 Chunking Goals into Actionable Habits

The paragraph discusses the method of 'chunking' goals into smaller, manageable parts, starting from the desired end result and working backward to create a series of benchmarks. It illustrates how to break down a yearly goal into quarterly and monthly milestones and further into weekly and daily tasks. The speaker introduces the concept of 'outcome goals' and distinguishes them from action-oriented goals. The focus is on making goals more actionable by attaching them to specific times, which is essential for turning dreams into reality. The paragraph also touches on the practicality of finding time for goal-oriented activities within a daily routine.

15:03

🔄 The Dream Management System and Daily Habits

In this final paragraph, the speaker introduces the 'Dream Management System,' which involves creating a routine of daily habits that align with and support the larger goal. It emphasizes the importance of attaching goals to specific times to make them a reality. The speaker shares personal strategies for finding time in the day to work on goals and suggests using a planner to organize and track progress. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, encouraging the audience to commit to the system and to show up for their goals daily, which is portrayed as the key to consistent results and personal transformation.

Keywords

💡System

A 'system' in the context of the video refers to a set of interconnected habits and routines that are designed to achieve specific goals over time. The video emphasizes that while most people have dreams and set goals, few have a systematic approach to achieving them. The system is what ties together the habits and actions required to reach one's SMART goals. For instance, the video suggests creating a 'dream management system' that involves chunking down yearly goals into quarterly, monthly, and weekly objectives, and then into daily habits.

💡SMART Goals

SMART Goals are a popular goal-setting framework that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The video points out some issues with SMART goals, such as the tendency for the 'Actionable' and 'Time-bound' components to be seen as separate rather than integrated. The speaker advocates for a more holistic approach to goal setting that includes a system to support the achievement of these goals.

💡Habits

Habits are routine practices that are performed regularly and tend to become automatic over time. In the video, habits are described as the foundational building blocks of a system that propels one towards their goals. The speaker discusses how habits, when strung together effectively, form a system that keeps one focused and on track throughout the year, preventing the common 'shame cycle' of unmet goals.

💡Dream

The term 'dream' in the video signifies the ultimate aspirations or desires that an individual holds, often considered as the highest level of what one wants to achieve. It's described as 'airy fairy' and metaphorically placed above the SMART goal level. The video encourages viewers to connect with their innermost desires and to not neglect these dreams, as they are crucial for long-term fulfillment and can prevent 'goal depression' or regrets.

💡Chunking Backwards

Chunking backwards is a strategy mentioned in the video for breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable parts. It involves working backward from the desired end goal to determine the necessary steps and milestones along the way. This method helps in creating a clear path from the present to the achievement of the goal, making it more actionable and less overwhelming.

💡Outcome Goals

Outcome goals are specific, desired results that one aims to achieve by certain points in time. They are often 'nouns' rather than 'verbs', representing the end state or product one wants to see. The video uses the example of writing a book, where an outcome goal might be to have a rough draft completed by the end of a quarter.

💡Actionable

In the context of goal setting, 'actionable' refers to the quality of a goal that allows for concrete steps to be taken towards its achievement. The video argues that being actionable is crucial, but it must be combined with a time-bound element to be effective. The speaker suggests that goals should not just be actionable but should also have a clear timeline attached to them.

💡Time-bound

A 'time-bound' goal is one that has a specific deadline or timeframe associated with it. The video discusses the importance of tying goals to a timeline to increase the likelihood of achieving them. It suggests that without a time-bound element, goals can remain abstract and are less likely to be realized.

💡Dream Management System

The 'Dream Management System' is a term coined in the video to describe the systematic approach to realizing one's dreams. It involves creating a routine and set of habits that are attached to specific times, ensuring that the pursuit of dreams is integrated into daily life. The system helps in maintaining focus and momentum towards the long-term goals.

💡Intentional Planner

An 'Intentional Planner' is a tool mentioned in the video that is designed to help individuals organize and track their goals, habits, and progress over time. It is used to facilitate the chunking process, weekly planning, and daily habit formation. The planner is presented as a practical aid in implementing the dream management system discussed in the video.

Highlights

The importance of having a system to achieve goals, beyond just setting them.

The limitations of SMART goals and the need for a more holistic approach.

The concept of marrying actionability and time-bound goals for better results.

The significance of systems in achieving goals, as highlighted by James Clear's quote.

The process of starting with dreams to set meaningful goals.

The exercise of envisioning one's life ten years ahead to define dreams.

The importance of not neglecting dreams to avoid regrets and midlife crises.

The process of chunking goals from the dream level down to actionable habits.

The practice of writing dreams in the past tense to create expectancy.

The method of prioritizing one goal to focus on for the year.

Setting quarterly and monthly benchmarks to work towards the annual goal.

The concept of 'outcome goals' and their role in the goal-setting process.

Chunking goals down to weekly and daily levels for better manageability.

The introduction of the 'dream management system' for daily habits.

The idea of finding 5 hours a week (the 'five to strive') to work towards goals.

The use of a planner for weekly planning and chunking goals into actionable steps.

The importance of attaching goals to time to make them a reality.

The role of daily habits in achieving the dream management system's outcomes.

The impact of showing up consistently to the dream management system.

The quote by Brené Brown about finding what lights you up and its significance.

Transcripts

so most people dream a lot of people set

goals everyone has habits but almost no

one has the system and it's one thing to

set goals but it's another thing to keep

the focus throughout the whole year so

this is what we're going to do in this

video we're going to start from the top

down we're going to Chunk from your

dream to your smart goals to the system

the habits strung together that are

going to get you there so grab a coffee

get out your notebook take some notes

because there is a lot under this flip

chart so before we get started on

setting the system I want to talk about

goals now like if you're a millennial

everybody's heard of smart goals this is

like the common acronym everybody's

heard about smart goals but there's a

few issues with smart goals and I really

love goals I'm a very goal oriented

person but the issue with goals is that

they're very incomplete so one thing

that can happen a lot of times is people

will set a goal it will be all of these

things and still they won't reach it and

then it causes this shame and it starts

the shame cycle one of the biggest

issues with smart goals is this

actionable and time time bound don't get

tied together they're seen as two

distinct things is this an actionable

thing yes when do I want to get it done

by this time and then we call that good

but these two things need to be married

to each other because it's not enough

just to be time bound and actionable

separately and a lot of times this is

going to require you to be a good judge

of time when we set goals that are a

year out or 5 years out we become worse

and worse judges of time as time goes

out and the biggest issue with smal is

there's no system running this thing

together which is what I want help you

create in this video you don't rise to

the level of your goals but you fall to

the level of your systems is what James

Clear says I feel that last year's

ceiling where we topped out you know

where we just plateaued we couldn't get

higher than that point last year's

ceiling is this year's floor and this

year's Launchpad so this is going to be

the system that we're going to rise to

and launch forward this year so get out

a piece of paper grab your coffee get a

pen be expectant I'm going to make a

system with you this year so that you

can follow through not continue that

shame cycle so this here this mountain

we're going to call the this the

mountain of your goal so at the top of

this mountain we have your smart goal

that's where we want to be that's the

outcome that we want to achieve but I

believe that even above the smart goal

level even above the top of this

mountain there's something that's also

very important that a lot of people

don't think about and if you don't think

about this step when you get to the top

of that mountain you might not be happy

or you know you might have that goal

depression you know some people don't

reach goals but there are some people

that do reach a lot of goals and when

they get there they have this goal

depression because it wasn't what they

wanted in the first place they built a

system that created a result that they

didn't want and now that system is going

to keep running so above this smart goal

level we have up here in the clouds

metaphorically we have your dream your

dream life your dream year your dream

weeks this is Airy fairy up in the

clouds these are the desires of your

heart that people don't want to admit to

themselves but these are the things that

cause midlife crises if they're not done

these are the things that you look back

on your life with regrets because you

didn't do it it's the lifechanging work

it's the work that matters in your life

so it's important not to neglect this

dream when we're getting to the smal now

at the very bottom of this mountain

there'll be some things stringing these

together but at the very bottom of this

mountain these are your habits this is

probably you know the most boring level

of the system you know this is the the

slog the step by step by step that's

going to get you up the mountain now

when you have a group of habits all

shung together done repeatedly in a way

that works for you that is your system

which will Propel you up this mountain

you know so it's all of these things

taken together that matter and most

people don't have the system you know

you put if you have the habits and you

feel like you're putting in the work but

it's just not getting anywhere you have

these goals you have these dreams but

you don't have the system it's not going

to string throughout the year there's

not going to be a thread attaching the

beginning of the year to your June your

October to the end of the year so most

people dream a lot of people set goals

everyone has habits but almost no one

has the system and it's one thing to set

goals but it's another thing to keep the

focus throughout the whole year so this

is what we're going to do in this video

we're going to start with from the top

down we're going to Chunk from your

dream to your smart goals to the system

the habits strung together that are

going to get you there so if you haven't

already take out a piece of paper we're

going to get to work

now so a lot of people when they set

goals they think of the outcome that

they want and they don't chunk backwards

to get it it's very important you don't

chunk forwards you have to chunk

backwards to figure out where do you

want to be and slowly chunk backwards to

get there so we're going to start up

with the life dream level right now so

this is the part where you connect with

the desires of your heart you dream big

you don't anything you don't edit

anything out if you if there's a desire

of your heart your gut brings it up your

emotions bring it up there's a nudge

there's a whisper something you've been

trying to kind of push away for a while

dump it on there so I have this I talked

about this in my last set systems not

goals video but this is the start today

Journal that I don't believe they have

in stock anymore but there's a really

great exercise at the very beginning

that I want to read to you so you can

put on some nice music put on a candle

visualize yourself 10 years from now

imagine that a decade of time has gone

by and you are living your best possible

ideal for yourself and your life dream

big don't put any restriction on it

don't overthink it just allow yourself

to Envision the most magnificent

possible future version of yourself a

decade in the future what is the very

best version of yourself doing what do

you look like how do you go about your

day how do you speak to the people you

love how are you loved in return what

kind of clothes do you wear what kind of

car do you drive are you a great cook do

you love to read do you love to run get

as specific as you possibly can where do

you go on vacation what's your favorite

restaurant to eat at now that your life

is different what kind of food do you

consume what does it feel like to go

throughout your day are you optimistic

are you encouraging to others after a

decade of working on yourself and

growing as a person how much joy is

there in your life who's in your life

what's your weak like how do you treat

people how do they treat you let your

dreams run absolutely wild are you happy

are you energetic are you driven do you

feel ambitious what's your relationship

like with your family members do you own

a home what does it look like do you

have kids do you have a family are you

married what's the best of the best now

go even bigger what's a bigger version

of the best version of you living every

day in the best state that you know how

to be what do you do for work what is

the highest value that your future self

holds is it family is it loyalty is it

growth be as specific as you can see it

like a movie in your mind without a

second of judgment or overthinking it I

want you to write down everything that

you just thought of as fast as you can I

don't want you to forget any of it I

want the future version of yourself to

be seared into your brain so I also have

this emotions list that I will link in

the description box all these desired

feelings list and I chose the specific

list because it has very interesting

feelings like there are you know the

typical feelings like I want to feel

joyful or expansive or alive but then

there's also you know things that aren't

typically considered feeling words like

I would have like a mermaid like life or

a lioness life or a hot life you know

it's all these different kind of unique

words so click on that and figure out

what feelings do I want what things

would be true and write those things

down so when you look at that dream life

and everything that's happened I want

you to write down the top 10 most

important that you want to have happen

in the next decade and I've heard the

quote that we overestimate what we can

do in a year but we underestimate what

we can do in 10 and so I want you to

dream big what things would be true

about your life what are the top 10

biggest priorities that you have so you

know maybe you're thinking if that were

be true maybe I would be a bestselling

author so I want you to list the top 10

most important to you not what you feel

like should be on the list because it's

very important to personalize it and

when you write it I want you to write it

in the past tense I am a bestselling

author if you write it like I will be a

bestselling author your brain sees it as

a to-do item and then it feels kind of

like I got this to-do item thing I got

to do but when you write it in the past

tense like I am a bestselling author

that feels a little lighter that's like

wow I'm a bestselling author it creates

expectancy and like I said so much of

goal setting is related to the emotions

you don't want to leave emotions behind

you want to bring them into the goal

setting process so after you've written

these things like in the past tense

present tense I am a bestselling author

you're going to go ahead and circle

which is the one that you want to focus

on this year which one do you want to go

after first you don't want to scatter

you know your efforts in many different

directions you want to this is a

prioritization exercise and figuring out

what do I really want to do and it takes

all the stress out of all those other

things but use hone in what is the one

thing that I want to make happen so

we're going to look at that one goal

that you want to pursue that one dream

that big dream that's so important in

your life and we're only going to look a

quarter out you know you can generally

think about okay so where do I want to

be at the end of this year okay so think

about where do you want to be at the end

of this this year and we're not going to

make super specifics for quarter 3

quarter 2 but for quarter 1 where do you

want to be realistically like if you

want to have a book written by the end

of this year maybe by the end of quarter

1 you want to have a rough draft done so

I used to use Rachel hollis's start

today planners but they're out of stock

so I made my own actually so this is

what I use so this is all the whole

purpose of this entire book is to chunk

backwards set these quarterly goals

these quarterly Sprints you know monthly

projects things like that so what we're

going to do is we're going to chunk

backwards so if at the end of quarter 1

you want to have a rough draft done

we're going to chunk backwards so where

do you want to be at the end of month

one where do you want to be at the end

of month two and where do you want to be

at the end of month three which is the

end of quarter 1 so if you want to have

let's say the rough draft done by the

end of quarter 1 maybe at the end of

month two you want to have half the

rough draft done so these are the

outcomes that you want to see so maybe

by the end of month one you say I want

to have three chapters written maybe if

you keep chunking back maybe you want

the book to be 12 chapters total so six

would be half three would be a quarter

of that now these are the benchmarks

that you want to hit and these are

called outcome goals these are the

outcomes you want to see these are not

verbs these are like nouns of things

that you want to have sometimes these

things can be a little bit beyond your

control like if you want to weigh a

certain amount or if you want to have a

certain amount of subscribers you can

certainly put in actions and do verbs to

do that thing but there's not a one to

one I do this therefore this so there is

you have some control over it but not as

much control over it so as we're still

at this level you have less control over

things but we're going to continue

chunking the system we're not to the

system yet just so you know we're still

on goal level but once we get to the

system it's going to get more and more

verb and action oriented so you say at

the end of month one January at the end

of January I want to have three chapters

written now we're going to chunk that

backwards even further a little lower to

the weekly level so by the end of week

four it's the end of the month I want to

have three chapters written by the end

of week three by the end of week two by

the end of week one maybe at the end of

week three you want to have two chapters

written maybe by the end of week two you

want to have one chapter written and

maybe by the end of week one you want to

just have an outline done so all a

sudden it gets smaller and smaller and

you can see okay this is getting smaller

you know it's getting a little bit more

actionable about the things we're going

to do at the weekly level but once we

get down to the Daily level I'm telling

you it's going to clear this up so well

okay so now we're getting into the daily

habit this is finally where we're

getting into the system I call this the

dream management system everybody every

body needs a dream management system and

it's these string of habits strung

together that will get you throughout

the entire year you have to attach

things to time time is what reality is

we live in reality so if we just say I

want to weigh this much by the end of

the year but you don't ever attach it to

on Monday I'm going to do this on

Tuesday I'll do this on Wednesday I'll

do this you know it just stays detached

from time and therefore it stays

detached from reality and that's what

causes the dreams to not become reality

that's what causes these dreams to die

so once you get down to the weekly level

you know maybe by the end of week one we

said we wanted to write an outline maybe

I'll maybe I'll adjust that just for the

sake of this example let's say by the

end of week one you wanted to write one

chapter let's say so Rachel Hollis calls

this the five to strive and so it comes

from kind of like the 2080 principle

that 20% of your time gives 80% of the

results so you don't need to spend all

of your time on this goal you don't need

to like completely you know derail your

life for this thing just 1 hour a day 5

hours a week 5 hours a week to strive up

that mountain to go up that mountain

where can you find 5 hours you know when

I was still a teacher I would wake up at

5: I would go to a coffee shop at 6:00

in the morning from 6:00 to 7:00 I'd be

at the coffee shop then I would go teach

and when I got off work from teaching

then my day was just done and I could

relax now you don't have to do something

like that but that's something that was

really helpful for me the first time I

did this video I made this flip chart at

the coffee shop the first time I did the

first iteration of this video so when

you chunk back now we have the daily

outcomes Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Thursday Friday so if I want to have one

chapter written by the end of the week

you know maybe on Monday I outline that

one chapter

maybe on Tuesday I draft half maybe on

Wednesday I draft another half maybe

Thursday I edit and Friday I edit and in

this planner you show up to weekly

planning it has a weekly planning ritual

for chunking these things out and so it

makes it so easy to be intentional when

all you have to do is find the one habit

that will get this thing done so every

morning the one habit that I'm

implementing is I'm showing up to the

planner it has me pick you know for the

we for the weekly planning has you pick

what three things would make this week

intentional

it has this chunking process where on

the weekly spread we already figured out

what are our outcomes for the end of

each week and kind of listing those

action steps in the brain dumb Bubbles

and then when you get to the weekly

spread there's just check boxes you know

add these things to the calendar in

addition to that on the daily level I

love Rachel hollis's start today Journal

it has you list in the morning five

things you're grateful for these 10

dreams that we outlined in the past

tense it says in the past tense 10

dreams I made happen and then the one

goal I'm going to focus on first so it's

the the connection point you know at the

bottom of the mountain those habits and

the dream life at the top and every day

you're focusing on that goal you know

it's easy once you get to June to start

you forgetting what am I doing this for

but the system of having these two

things really just focuses me and this

system every time I do it I get results

every time I Stray away from it I lack

results and so I'm just committing to

this one habit I don't have to over

complicate it I just commit to this one

Habit to showing up to the dream

management system all these habits

strung together and you have these

outcomes and you attach them to time

that's when your goals become reality

time is reality so when you chunk them

down to verbs and actions you're going

to do attached to time on the calendar

you commit to showing up to the calendar

then everything just falls into place

you do the initial yearly dreaming work

the planner does the rest all you do is

show up so I think it's so powerful I

think this is some of the most

meaningful work that we can do some of

the most important work that we can do

um I love the quote from beray Brown

find what lights you up and do more of

that thing because the world needs more

people who are lit up so it's not

selfish work that you're doing to have a

life that you love and do what you love

this is lifechanging work and I don't

say that lightly I don't say to just

like fluff people up but I really think

that when you do what lights you up it

really creates positive change to the

world so doing the work showing up to

doing the work is so important I'm I'm

so excited about this intentional

planner if you want to buy this

intentional planner I will have the link

in the description I think that this is

no longer in stock but you can just do

this in a journal these questions every

day if that's something that you want to

implement in your morning routine but

yeah thank you so much for watching guys

I appreciate all the support you showed

on the last one I'll see you guys in the

next one

[Music]

bye