Moving Forward: Systems vs. Goals
Since it is still January, a lot of people are in the process of setting goals for the year ahead. I am fully supportive of this, but over the past year, my own ideas about goal-setting have somewhat shifted.
I want to help people understand that goals provide a direction or a pathway to where we want to be, but developing systems can help us make long-term, continuous progress along the way.
I think the concept of developing the right systems rather than setting more goals is a game changer when we talk about success, happiness, moving forward and getting to where we want to be.
Goals are like a path in the woods. We know that we want to get from one end to the other, but the way in which we get there can vary. We have to find the best system or method that works for each of us to get down that path. Then we can continue going down other paths in the future.
Some people may walk at a pace that suits their stride; some may run as fast as they can; some stroll for a bit, rest, and then move forward again. There is no right or wrong way to get down the path. The reality is, some people will get to the end of the path while others may not.
I think it is important to keep in mind that whether we get to the end of a path, turn around, or decide to go down another path, we don’t just stop moving. We have to figure out if we should continue in the same manner we did before or if we need to change things up as we go down the next path.
I want to give James Clear who wrote Atomic Habits some credit for breaking down the difference between goals and systems a little bit further. He helped me understand why systems keep up our momentum - keep us on the right path.
According to James Clear, “The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”
So in essence, a goal is something we can use to give ourselves a direction or a trajectory, but once we reach that goal then what? Usually, goals are a temporary change or something very specific we want to accomplish. In reality, we should not think about life as being just a series of single accomplishments - or failures. We should be thinking more in terms of how we are continuously moving forward and improving ourselves.
Our systems can be built to suit our own individual needs. They are ultimately put into place to help us make progress at our own pace. They can often be replicated, but they can also be refined and made better as time goes on.
I coach people on how to find the systems that will work for them. I enjoy looking at an individual’s organizing, productivity and time management goals to help them assess where they want to be, but if we want to create a sustainable change, we need to figure out the best system that will help them make progress and allow them to continue moving forward.
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