PL 101: Systems vs. Goals (Discussion 4)
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Hello Leadership Crew!
Welcome to our 4th discussion in this first course. In todays discussion, we will be talking about systems vs. goals.
To start, please read this post here  and watch this video.
The basic argument here is that having a system is better than having a goal. A system is a way of behaving that helps you move towards accomplishing something. A goal is usually and end state that happens after you have accomplished something. I think eating healthy is a good example. A goal might be to lose 10 pounds. In this case, you feel kind of bad about yourself until you hit that goal; and then, once you hit it, you kind of lose the purpose because the goal has been reached. If you relapse and gain wait again, then you fall back into feeling bad about yourself again. Contrast this with a system of eating healthy. A system might include things like: having a big glass of water prior to each meal; eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, and nuts; not eating after 9pm; and/or doing some level of intermittent fasting. You wouldnt integrate all of these new healthy eating behaviors at once. Instead, youd gradually introduce one and then another and then another over whatever period of time makes sense. The system enables you to continuously get healthier and healthier. You will eventually reach the goal, but itll be the byproduct of eating healthy.
Another example might be education. I dont really care all that much about grades for my kids. I mostly want them to learn and enjoy learning. We talk about what they learn, we draw things, they make their own educational videos, they explain things to me in their own words etc. I want them to have a system of learning and refining their perspective on things. If they have this system, then having good grades will be a natural result of enjoying learning.
This also has implications for 7 Cups as well. We might have goals of having a certain amount of group support messages or 1:1 messages. Those are fine goals to have, but we mostly want to create a system of support where people care for one another and then the natural result is an increased number of messages. Or, zooming back, think about this leadership development program. We could have an arbitrary goal of training a certain number of new leaders to serve our community; or we can co-create a system - this leadership development program - that helps people become leaders. The natural consequence of the program will be a higher number of trained, competent, and strong leaders that can better support our community. Â
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed? What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
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@GlenM
I need to not stress myself out. To implement this, I need to have a schedule, take breaks so to not get stressed and ask for help when I need it.
@ItsSimplyEll
Do you have any specific schedule on mind? Glad to hear you realize it's good to reach out for help! All the best 💖👍
@GlenM
Hello! How are you today? I hope you are having a great day!
I need a pride system to boost my self-esteem.
Some steps I can take involve more positive self-talks, keeping records of my achievements, and challenging unhelpful thoughts.
@Daf8
I really like the system you have created to challenge your self-esteem. I especially like documenting your achievements. One suggestion I might add is to see if you can display your achievements for yourself in someway like on a shelf or something. I have my diplomas on my living room wall to remind myself of how hard I worked to achieve them and that I can do anything I set my mind to.
@InvaderStitch
Thank you! It means a lot. Yes, I try to be able to display them. Thank you, truly
@GlenM
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed?
A key system I think I need to implement is to make a schedule to prioritize things I have to do.
What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
1. Sleeping well with a proper sleep schedule
2. Having full faith in my abilities
3. Enjoying the system rather than focusing too much on the goal :)
@VerseArt
I can really relate to needing a proper schedule. Would you like to elaborate a little on how you would go about making it and using it as your system?
@Aleks2
Like everyone else, I am still trying to figure it out. Making a schedule, having a proper system, balance, all these things are easy said than done. But I have started with the priority list. Actually listing down the tasks I have to perform and how much time and energy I can afford to spend on them. It's a good start but as I said easy said/written than done 🙂
@VerseArt
I wish you the best, Verse
With Love,
shiningSound31
@GlenM
A key system that I need to set up in my life is putting myself before others. I have always had a habit of putting others before myself, which has lead to many problems when it came to living my goals. 3 behaviors I can implement to help me gradually grow into this new system, is 1. creating boundaries; knowing where I stand and of course being considerate of others, but not to the point in which I led that affect my personal goals. 2. is that I expect from others from than I expect from myself - and this is the reason why I tend to put others first. I need to start expecting things from my own self in order to implement this new system. Lastly, I need to be patient. Attaining a system and living through it in order to achieve your goals is a gradual process - as learned from the video and article. Patience is crucial, otherwise it is easy to fall back.
- @helpingsoul98
Right now the system I need to create is a system that can help me to get better grades because I am going into university next year. So I want to more focus on the system rather than my updated grades everyday.
I am going to step out of the comfort zone, follow my time table, and do reviews every day. Make sure all of these are finished every day.
@Irena0225 It sounds good! Good luck in this journey Irena! Perhapas a schedule or writing things down could help you?
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed?-A key system I think I need to implement is a regular, consistent study framework.
What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?-
Setting up a timetable and sticking to it
Learning to prioritize
Waking up early , regular workout, eating healthy
@ahealingEndoftherainbow22
Learning to prioritize is going to be a lesson for your lifetime! All the best with your system 💖👍
@peacefulWarrior10
Thank you :)
I'd just like to share that Atomic Habits is a great read!
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed? What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
I need to set up a system to eat healthier. I have been addicted to sugar for as long as I can remember. I can check the nutrition label whenever posible to find out how much sugar is in a given food. I can track the sugar I eat. And I can implement "sugar lock down" months to help me minimize sugar while also acknowledging my finite willpower. I'm starting a sugar lock down month today actually!
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed? What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
A key system I need to succeed is a SMART goals oriented focus with the ability to accomodate and influence my levels of grit and resilience across many contexts.
3 behaviours include: self-discipline, time management, and positive-oriented focus through positive self-affirmation of the self, timetable creation, and many more.
A key system that I need to set up in my life to help me succeed:
I need to be more organized when it comes to academics, and reduce (and possibly eliminate) my procrastination.
Three behaviours that I can implement to help me gradually grow that new system in my life:
- Write down everything I need to do for the day, instead of relying on memory.
- Use a planner or a calendar to note down important dates and events
- Try different study methods to stay interested and motivated
Thanks for the post. Really needed it.
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed?
I can exercise and run daily.
What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
1. I can follow the mini habits rule.
2. I can have a 40% rule mindset.
3. I can have a cookie jar.