Systems trump goals
Achieve more by focusing less on goals and more on systems to achieve them.
Do you find yourself slipping back into old habits after reaching a goal?
Do you focus more on the end goals than on the steps you need to take to reach them?
Do you delay feeling happy until you've accomplished your next goal?
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To reach your goals in life, it's important to establish systems that support your progress. Good systems can make it easier and faster to achieve your goals, while poor systems can create obstacles or even stop you from succeeding.
Goals
A goal is something specific you want to achieve within a certain time frame. For instance, aiming to earn a bachelor's degree in mathematics within four years, or establishing a habit of exercising while watching TV in two months. Goals give you direction, focus your attention, motivate action, and help you plan and track progress. Without goals, you may drift aimlessly through life. To achieve a goal, it's important to first become the kind of person who has the qualities needed to reach that goal (this is known as the Be-Do-Have model). It’s also important that your goals match your life purpose and personal values.
Systems
A system or process is a series of organized steps or methods that you follow to reach a specific goal. It involves regular actions aimed at achieving the desired result. Systems help you stay organized and make progress toward your goals.
👉 If your goal is to learn a new language, your system could include practicing speaking and listening for 30 minutes each day using language apps, attending weekly conversation classes, and reviewing vocabulary with flashcards.
👉 If your goal is to develop healthy eating habits, your system might involve planning meals weekly, preparing balanced meals in advance, keeping a food diary, and limiting eating out to once a month.
👉 If your goal is to run a marathon, your system could include following a structured training plan that includes running specific distances each week, doing strength training, maintaining proper nutrition, and taking scheduled rest days.
Road trip
Achieving goals is like going on a road trip to a specific destination. The goal is where you want to end up, and the system is the journey to get there. This journey involves planning your route, choosing your vehicle, and how you drive, all of which need careful attention and adjustments. Just as a road trip requires steady driving and sometimes taking a different route, reaching your goals requires a good plan, regular actions, and flexibility when things change. Focusing on the journey, rather than just the end point, helps ensure steady progress and makes the experience more enjoyable.
Why to focus on systems
Goals provide direction, but it's your systems that determine your progress. Once you've set a goal, focus mainly on the system you'll use to achieve it:
👉 In situations like sports competitions, where everyone has the same goal, it's the systems they follow that separate the winners from the losers, not the goals themselves.
👉 Reaching a goal often gives you only a short-term fix, like when you clean your room or hit a target weight. Many people slip back into old habits after reaching a goal. To make lasting change, you need a system that incorporates consistent habits in your daily routine to maintain your results.
👉 The problem with focusing on goals is that you often put off your happiness until you achieve the next goal, constantly thinking about what you don’t have yet. Your satisfaction and sense of achievement depend on reaching your goals. When you focus on the process, you can feel satisfied every time you follow your system, regardless of whether you reach the goal or not.
👉 Achieving a goal, like getting a promotion or earning a certain amount of money, is often out of your control because other factors can affect the outcome. You might be able to influence it, but you can’t control it completely, so don’t measure success just by reaching a goal. What you can control are your systems: the effort you put in and the actions you take. By focusing on your systems, you reduce anxiety and have more energy to work towards your goals.
What really matters is having a system. Sticking to the process is what makes the difference.
Additional tips
👉 Focus on the present: Pay attention to the tasks at hand instead of worrying about the ultimate goal (the “should be”). Staying present helps you fully engage with each step in your system.
👉 Track your progress: Use a journal or app to record your daily actions and any progress made. Tracking helps you notice small wins and reinforces the importance of sticking to the process.
👉 Celebrate progress: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small. This positive reinforcement can keep you motivated to continue with your system.
👉 Stay flexible and adjust: Be open to adjusting your system if it’s not working as expected. Flexibility lets you refine your process and stay on track even if circumstances change.
👉 Build habits: Turn key actions into habits. When actions become habits, they require less conscious effort, making it easier to follow your system consistently.
👉 Stay mindful and reflect: Regularly reflect on your process. Mindfulness helps you stay aware of your actions and ensures you’re following your system with purpose.
👉 Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same care and compassion you would offer a close friend.
By using these tips, you'll be able to stick to your system more effectively and stay focused on the process. This approach will help you make steady and satisfying progress toward your goals.
References
Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead., by James Clear
Focus On the Process, Not the Outcome (or You’ll Keep Quitting), Improvement Savvy, by Alisha Verly Jensen
