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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What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed?
I am already successful, and I hope that others who are doing this course don't feel like they are not successful just because they have goals left that they have not yet acheived, or just because they want to make changes in their lives, or just because this question seems to imply they are not. I like to have balance, so I like to make time for exercise and fitness, study, work, spirituatlity, family, socialisation, relaxation and hobbies everyday or every week.
I think goal-orientation is essential for real success, especially for success in substantial goals like major building projects, or putting together interactive programs. Systems that the author, James Clear, seems to claim are "new" have actually always been necessary to acheive goals: in fact James' work itself is full of setting goals e.g, to identify and curb bad habits, in his book "Atomic Habits," which the reference partly quotes. Dividing goals into objectives and tasks is the only way to get or measure real acheivement, and celebrating each milestone, objective and task as an acheivement is positive and optimistic. Obviously only concentrating on an end goal has always been the wrong way to acheive goals and this well-known fact has always been a major training point in goal-oritented leadership. Goal-oriented leadership was released to the public as a "new" leadership style in the 1980s (after military secrecy laws which had protected the techniques had expired). Rather that concentrating on an end-goal, a trained leader takes major goals, and divides them into minor SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Acheivable, Realistic and Timely objectives) and then divides those goals into tasks. A system itself is merely a list of regular tasks, that without goal-orientation (i.e. a reason for doing the tasks) would seem pointless and be doomed to failure - the system needs the goal as much as the goal needs the system. Goal-oriented leadership has always involved setting up systems to acheive, develop and monitor progress and there is nothing new whatsoever about making timetables or systems for including activities. Calling "system orientation" a new concept would be like calling procedural administration a new idea, and without a goal, both a system and a procedure are utterly worthless.
What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
I ride my pushbike, do T'ai chi, play music, paint and draw - I was thinking that I might try also going to the gym, sometimes, cutting down red meat and buying an air-fryer, because I have a new goal to reduce my cholesterol.
@GlenM
This was truly inspiring, thank you. I think that without knowing it, I have recently started to work with systems instead of goals 
I want to take good care of myself, and my system includes healthy eating, exercising and connecting with people.
@sunflower2480 I hope that you succeed in creating a system for yourself and grow.
@helpfuldipper thank you 
@GlenM
one key system I need to set up to succeed in life is to believe that I am a good and worthwhile person.
3 behaviors I can implement are:
1) make it my mantra
2) frequent reminders backed by my behaviors.
3) believe others when they compliment me
@GlenM
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?
Key system for me would most probably be to implement a stricter self care routine (started already).
1. Being kind to myself, learning to be less self critical
2. Improving my communication skills
3. Time management
@amiablePeace77
Self care routine sounds wonderful :)
@GlenM
I think the most important key system would be to work hard and be consistent but also loving and being kind yourself and practicing self care!
Being more discipline and less procrastinating. Also practicing self care, not just by doing face masks and aking baths, but actually growing, reading books, saying no, eating healthy!
@queenviebsonly I think you are going to do great. I have also included learning in my system 
The three things I would want to implement
I want to create a system of more learning. So, I want to learn for a set number of hours per week and will gradually increase it. The learning could be anything from learning a new instrument, to learning a new language. I think over time I would waste less and less time and be productive
I want to automize organization. I think right now I have to put up effort after every few days. The thing resonated with me so much. So, overall, in all areas of my life I want to inculcate automatize behavioral changes so that I remain organized.
I want to stay consistent with my commitment to my health, so I want to set up a system for that.
@GlenM
The system I want to set up is to implement the DBT PLEASE skill in my daily life. Three key things that I can do to implement this system are to create a meal plan and do meal prep twice a week. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Finally do my laundry weekly and shower daily. I will track each of these things with a simple green or red system for each task on a daily basis. Green means I did it, red means I didn’t. Nailing this system is the key to me creating a foundation for more change in my life including working towards a goal of becoming a peer supporter. Without this foundation, I will face many challenges in my daily life. This system is actually one I have been working on perfecting for the last month and so far I have made a lot of changes for the better in my life.
@GlenM
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 goal I have is to focus on living a healthier life.
Three behaviours: Focus on fun and delicious, healthy foods... Be gentle with myself when I struggle with making those choices...Find fun ways to get active and schedule those times.
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed?
A key system that I need to set up in my life is making sure I go to bed at the same time everyday and have a nutritious breakfast to start off my day. I would like to be more active.
What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
Have a light meal for dinner maybe with fish rice and vegetables. Drink lots of water throughout the day to get most things done by the time I go to bed. Write down what I would do the next day and anything I am worried about put in my diary. With exercise and physical workout I need to tell myself everyday that I do 20 mins of cycling and stick to healthy diet.
@glowingHeart4796
Such helpful thoughts!
@pro21
Thank you! :-)
@glowingHeart4796
Bedtimes that we did the same every day can be helpful as it like a tradition but a way to calm the mind.
Such a great system to start!! ❤️@glowingHeart4796
@glowingHeart4796
Wow such a great system there! I'm actually taking a course on Nutriental research on the brain now and getting enough sleep and nutritional meals every day is really really really beneficial to the brain both in the short and long term. Hope everything is going well for you!
@GlenM
What is a key system that you need to set up in your life to help you succeed?
As mentioned in the course, I concentrate more on the journey than the results. And I personally feel journey is what matters at the end, irrespective of the results we achieve. When we look back we should've made some beautiful memories on the way and should have stories to talk about.
What are 3 behaviors you can implement to help you gradually grow that new system in your life?
Process > Result. I want to stop worrying about the possible outcomes and enjoy the journey instead.
Not worrying about the things that could go wrong, I mean I’ll be cautious, but not overthink about it.
It’s ok to be ignorant sometimes. Too much information sometimes backfires.
@YoungMonastic007
That's a great way to look at the journey than the end result.
You have such a great view of systems.. thanks for your post! ❤️@YoungMonastic007
@YoungMonastic007
This really is dyslexic friendly!