We are obsessed with goals.
We set New Year’s Resolutions. We write down “I want to make $100k” or “I want to lose 20 pounds.” We visualize the finish line. We make vision boards.
And then, a month later, we have achieved absolutely nothing.
Why? Because goals are overrated. In fact, relying on goals is usually the reason people fail.
If you want to actually change your life, you need to stop worrying about the destination and start building a System.
The Survivorship Bias of Goals
We have a massive blind spot when it comes to goal-setting.
We look at the Gold Medal winner and say, “Wow, they had a goal to win gold, and they did it! Goals work!”
But we ignore the 30 other athletes who also had the goal of winning gold but lost.
Winners and losers have the exact same goals.
- Every candidate wants the job.
- Every startup founder wants to be a unicorn.
- Every writer wants to be a bestseller.
If the winners and the losers share the same goal, then the goal cannot be the thing that makes the difference.
The difference is the System they used to get there.
The Problem with Goals
Goals have three major flaws that nobody talks about:
1. Goals rely on willpower.
To achieve a goal, you have to constantly push yourself. You have to “try hard.” Systems don’t require willpower, they require routine. You don’t “try” to brush your teeth; you just do it because it’s your system.
2. Goals make you miserable.
When you are working toward a goal, you are essentially saying: “I am not good enough yet, but I will be when I reach my target.” You are training your brain to be unhappy until the future arrives.
With a system, you are successful every single time you complete the routine. If your system is “Write for 30 minutes,” you win every morning.
3. Goals are temporary.
What happens when you run the marathon? You cross the finish line, you celebrate… and then you stop running. You lose your motivation because the goal is gone. This is why “Yo-Yo Dieting” happens.
A system has no finish line. It is a lifestyle.
How to Build a System
So, how do you ditch the goal and build a system?
Step 1: Identify the Outcome (The Goal)
It’s okay to have a direction.
- Goal: Write a book.
Step 2: Identify the Input (The System)
What is the daily action that inevitably leads to that outcome?
- System: Write 500 words every morning at 7:00 AM.
Step 3: Forget the Outcome
This is the hard part. Stop thinking about the book. Stop checking the word count of the total manuscript.
Focus 100% of your energy on the daily execution.
If you write 500 words a day, the book will finish itself. You don’t need to stress about it. The math guarantees the result.
The Scoreboard
In sports, the coach doesn’t stare at the scoreboard. The coach stares at the players executing the plays.
If you play the game right (System), the score takes care of itself (Goal).
If you stare at the scoreboard the whole time, you are going to lose.
The Verdict
A goal is a wish. A system is a machine.
You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.
Stop dreaming about the gold medal. Start falling in love with the practice.
The Challenge:
Take one goal you have right now (e.g., “Get six-pack abs”).
Delete it.
Replace it with a system (e.g., “Do 100 pushups before I shower every day”).
Commit to the system for 21 days. Ignore the mirror. Trust the machine.