For Greater Success, Focus on Systems Instead of Goals

You might understand the power of setting a goal, but that’s just the beginning. A goal is where you want to end up, but it doesn’t tell you how to get there. Creating systems that move you toward success is the real path to success.

For example, a successful business always has a system for generating sales. There are sales goals, but the system is what moves the company toward that sales goal.

You already have a lot of systems. You have a system for mowing and trimming your grass. You have a system for making sure you have clean clothes on Monday morning.

When you set a new goal, it’s important to create new systems.

Follow this process to create effective systems that lead to your success:

1. Know your goal but focus on how to get there.

Let’s imagine that your goal is to run a marathon in nine months. How exciting! But, let’s focus on how you might get there. Let’s also imagine that you haven’t run in years, and you have 20 pounds to lose if you want to increase your odds of success.

◦ With research, you discover that you need to ultimately have a long run of 20 miles every other week to have a good chance of finishing a marathon. You also know that you need to work up to a weekly mileage of at least 40 miles per week. Armed with this knowledge, you can create a plan.

◦ You know that you need to lose 20 pounds, so a diet of some sort might be in order.

◦ You also believe that you need to learn more about running.

2. Formulate a support goal.

You know that you need to ultimately have a long run of 20 miles every other week, work up to 40 miles per week, and lose 20 pounds. You also need to learn more about running. These are support goals.

◦ Your “systems” will be the way you choose to accomplish these support goals.

◦ One way to develop your systems is to work backwards.

3. Work backwards.

Obviously, you can’t just go out and run 20 miles if you haven’t run in years. You’re also not going to lose 20 pounds in a day. Trying to run 40 miles the first week will lead to injury and a loss of motivation.

◦ If you need to have a 20-mile run every other week, the week or two prior to running 20 miles, you need to run 19. Before that, 18. Keep working back until have a number you can do your first week. Build a schedule.

◦ Over the next 9 months, you need to work up from just a few miles to 40 miles. Again, build a schedule.

◦ Perhaps on Sunday, you will create a menu for the week and do your shopping as a way of helping to lose those 20 pounds.

◦ You might also decide to read for an hour each week about running.

◦ Now, your goal each week is to follow your plan. Monitor how well you’re sticking to your plan. The end goal is just the destination. The key is to focus on your systems in order to get there.

Each goal will require different systems. For example, if you’re a real estate agent and want to sell $10 million worth of real estate this year, your systems might be to:

• Call 25 expired listings each week.
• Send out 100 postcards each month looking for new buyers and sellers.
• Go to three networking events each month.
• Ask everyone you know if they’re interested in buying or selling a home.

Effective systems are doable and will guarantee success. Create systems that make it impossible to fail. Poor systems or poor compliance lead to poor results.

Set your goals and then focus on developing effective systems. If you create good systems and follow them, you’ll achieve success.

Is the Goal Really the Point?

Most of us would like a new car or a bigger house. Or maybe you’d like to climb Mount Everest.

However, if you were instantly teleported to the top of Everest, you wouldn’t be as happy or fulfilled as if you actually climbed it.

Our goals are more than just things we want to have or achieve. There’s much more to it.

You might think that you’d like to have a magic genie at your disposal. But it would be a lot less enjoyable than you think.

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to your goals!

Consider these ideas:

1. If you could have everything you want just magically appear, would you find that satisfying?

If you’re like most people, you have a long list of things you’d like to see, do, and have.

◦ Imagine you could just suddenly snap your fingers and be wealthy, play the piano, see Paris, lose 30 pounds, have a successful business, be married to the person of your dreams, and have three kids.

◦ Imagine that and ask yourself how that would feel. If what you really want is to simply have all those things, you’d jump at that deal. However, you probably aren’t that excited when it’s presented this way.

◦ The process of achieving something might be more important to you. Growing a business, finding your perfect romantic partner, and figuring out how to become wealthy are part of the journey.

2. How do you feel the day after completing a goal?

Think about a big goal you’ve achieved. It might be landing a particular job, graduating from school, or seeing Hawaii. How did you feel shortly after it was over?

3. Is it the struggle that matters to you?

Maybe the struggle is what appeals to you. Maybe it’s not winning, but putting in the time, sweat, and tears that makes it all worthwhile. Maybe it’s the thrill of overcoming a challenge. You certainly don’t experience that when you don’t have to work for something.

4. Is it the personal growth that makes achieving goals satisfying?

Is having a successful business exciting? Or is it learning new skills, developing the perfect sales pitch, and becoming a new and improved version of yourself?


5. Struggling leads to learning.

If a new car is just handed to you, you lost an opportunity to learn how to earn, save, and invest your money.

When you face challenges, you’re forced to learn. Either you study, or you make mistakes and corrections. Both are forms of learning.

Think about all the things you’ve achieved. Now, imagine all of those things had just been handed to you. How does that make you feel?

Would you still be the same person if you’d lost 50 pounds by waving a magic wand versus changing your diet and working hard at the gym?

We get more from achieving goals than just the end result.

Our goals are a way to struggle and grow. Goals provided a sense of accomplishment when they require work and effort to achieve. Self-confidence and self-esteem grow as well when goals are set and accomplished.

Having something handed to you is nice but delivers much less meaning. So, avoid wishing for good luck.

Instead, wish to be stronger and more determined. Although achieving it is fantastic, the goal itself isn’t really the point!

Six Types of Goals Everyone Should Consider Making

Everyone understands that goals are important to success, but there are still relatively few people that actually set goals regularly and commit to them.

Part of the challenge is not understanding the main categories of goals. There are several areas of life that have a great impact on the rest of your life.

It’s important to have suitable goals in each of these areas to have a fulfilling life.

Consider these six critical areas:

1. Financial.

Financial issues are a major source of stress. This is hardly news to most of us. Financial success opens endless opportunities and can also free up a lot of time, especially if you reach the point where you don’t have to work any longer.

2. Career.

Most of us spend 40+ hours each week at a job of some sort. It’s a huge part of our waking hours.

When you include getting ready for work, driving there and back, and all the time you spend outside of work thinking about work, it’s a lot of hours.

3. Adventure.

Down deep, we all admire those people that visit the pyramids of Egypt, try whitewater rafting, or go to Africa on a safari.

Taking part in adventurous activities gives you a new perspective on life. It also makes you really interesting to others!

4. Self-Development.

We’re happiest when we’re growing in some way. It’s disappointing to take a hard look at yourself and realize that you haven’t changed significantly in the last 5+ years.

We feel proud of ourselves when we become more developed and capable. There are a variety of ways to do this.

◦ Take college courses.
◦ Learn an instrument.
◦ Learn a language.
◦ Learn how to garden.
◦ Learn how to do a cartwheel.
◦ Learn how to paint or draw.

5. Health.

If your health fails you, there’s not much else that matters. Most people that set goals fail to include a health goal of some sort. This is a mistake.

6. Long-term.

We often make the mistake of only setting short-term goals to get out of the discomfort we’re currently feeling. It might be to come up with an extra $500 this month or to lose 15 pounds.

How many goals do you have? Do you have the six main types of goals covered? What other categories can you think of that are important to you?

Consider what’s most important to you and ensure that you have a goal that addresses it.

Cheers, Helene Malmsio

Related Reading: https://www.discoveryhub.net/how-to-set-goals.html

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