The problem with setting goals

If I asked what your goals were, what would you say? If you had a goal to lose weight, how would you start? Eat less food? Stay off carbs? Go on a diet? The system may be in alignment with the goal but sometimes, it is not always clear cut. For example, if you have a goal of getting promoted at work but you don’t prioritize your work enough or you’re too afraid to ask for a raise, that’s never going to work now, is it? Achieving goals is more than just having a plan. You need to know how to work out a plan that works for you.

What are your goals? I want to be a millionaire, I want to lose weight, I want to work in the fashion industry. How do you plan on achieving these goals? I’m going to start saving money tomorrow, I’m going to go for walks every day, I’ll send my resume out as soon as possible. It’s really not hard to do, it definitely begins with setting goals and having a system in place.

How do goals differ from systems and why is it important to work with systems?. Systems are more about the processes that will help you achieve your goal and that’s where we focus less time and attention. I was never really a big fan of goals, still not a fan. I’ve never really liked setting goals because I would never really achieve anything; I’d stare at these goals and wonder if they would ever be ticked off the list. Goals really are about the results you want to achieve, but what if your process isn’t working? Or what if you have no process at all? What if you’re doing everything right and it’s still not working out for you? Is this even possible; does doing everything right necessarily guarantee success? The truth is, we may have a problem with how we set goals and even what systems we have in place.

Goals and systems go hand in hand, but it’s important to understand that they’re two different things. It would be impossible for any of us to reach our goals if we fail to set up a system for achieving it. We all have different reasons for wanting to work towards our goals. Whatever it may be, if you don’t have any systems in place then there’s no way you’ll be able to get what you want out. One of the hardest parts about reaching goals is figuring out how to get there. The process can be daunting and it’s easy to give up before you even start. But, if we break things down into manageable steps, then it becomes easier than you think!

Achieving goals is more than just having a plan

It is important to know how to work with the plan you have in place. A goal is about the result you want to achieve while a system is about the process. There’s something I am learning with time; the system you follow affects your your success more than the goals you set. The most important thing is to find out what works best for you and then make it work as efficiently as possible. Goals are what we want, but systems are how we get there. In order for me to achieve a goal, I need a system in place that will help me reach it. If you have no system or strategy in place and you just wing it, then your chances of success are slim.

Life works a little differently; it is not just about setting goals or working hard enough; if you want something bad enough, like really want it; then you need a plan of action, this means following specific systems in order for your goals to become reality.

The greatest value of goals isn’t in accomplishing them, it’s in the direction they provide you. Mark Manson

It is easy to think that all we need is to set a goal, and work hard towards it, and expect that the outcome will be positive. There are a number of things that go into achieving success. We need to focus on what we’re doing now in order to get where we want to go. It’s not just about working hard for one moment but it’s also about making sure all of our efforts align with our ultimate goal which is why systems matter more than goals do. When it comes to achieving goals and living a successful life, the power is in our systems not in our goals. It is no secret that we all have different ways of doing things and that’s what makes life interesting; but when it comes to making progress in any area of life (weight loss, finances, relationships), perhaps the best way is by developing effective habits and routines.

As we pay attention to daily tasks, they become routine behaviors that are performed without much thought or resistance. Let’s talk about systems; what is a system? It is a series of steps taken in order to accomplish an end goal. Systems can come in many different shapes and sizes. No matter you’re trying to do, there’s always some kind of system involved when completing tasks. The best thing about systems is that they give us more control over our lives than goals ever could because we know exactly how everything will turn out before we start doing anything at all!

Why you need systems and the problem with goals

If we simply set goals without setting up systems then our success won’t last. Goals provide us with a small snapshot of where we want to go, but without systems implemented, there is no real way for that goal to be accomplished. There’s a way to reach long-term goals; set up a system that will lead you there. There are three key steps for creating a system:

• Identify what needs to be done
• Delegate responsibilities
• Track progress.

Identifying what needs to be done involves deciding on priorities or tasks that need attention, such as paying bills, filing papers or cleaning out closets; when you delegate responsibilities, you assign roles and tasks to persons involved and when these tasks should be completed. Tracking progress involves monitoring how well things are working and making adjustments accordingly. Doing these things regularly helps set up a system that works for you, no matter what the task is or what goals need to be achieved.

It is not that we have too little time to do all the things we need to do , it is that we feel the need to do too many things in the time we have. —

Gary Keller, The One Thing

When we work with systems, we allow ourselves to work smarter; more efficiently and with less stress. Trying to figure out what system works best for you can be tricky and hard; maybe start by asking yourself :

What do I want? How much time do I have? What’s my current level of knowledge or skill? What’s your goal and what questions are you asking yourself today?

2. We hold off our happiness when we only think of achieving goals

In the pursuit of happiness, we often neglect ourselves by focusing on goals. Why do we feel so much better when we finish a goal? Is it because the feeling of accomplishment is worth more to us? Or does a completing a task make us feel like we’re one step closer to achieving something big that will make us happy? We find ourselves so fixed on reaching goals and not giving up that sometimes we forget to enjoy life while we’re striving to succeed. We deny ourselves happiness, some comforts and luxuries because we believe that is the best way to stay focused on our goals but that has to be false. Sometimes, the best way to achieve balance between enjoying life and striving for goals is to set manageable short term objectives.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you need to set smaller goals such as exercising three times every week or maybe, eating healthier foods. This way you can still enjoy some aspects of life without losing out on the full experience.

For anyone who sets goals, there’s a certain feeling of happiness and fulfilment to the completion of those tasks, putting off happiness in general. But what do you get when you finally complete your goal? The answer is satisfaction. When we are able to accomplish something that has been on our minds for so long it brings us satisfaction. With every step closer we come to completing the task at hand, our motivation grows stronger as well as our drive, which makes us push forward with even more force than before until finally achieving what we were striving for all along: success! It’s easy to put off happiness until we reach our goal but sometimes the journey is what makes the destination worth it!

3. Long-term progress is not about setting goals

I believe the real issue with setting goals is not in the process of achieving them but rather how we choose to deal with those moments when they are unattainable or just too hard. It’s easy to get discouraged and give up on our dreams because we need immediate gratification and don’t want to put in the work necessary to achieve what we want.

A lot of people think that if they don’t reach their goal in the time allotted to them or on the date they want to meet the deadline by, it means failure. The truth is that there are many other things in life worth accomplishing and enjoying along the way. You may not be able to do something at this moment but you will be able to accomplish it later down the line — maybe even better than before! I love how Dr. Seuss writes Don’t cry because its over; smile because it happened. Setting goals also says let’s have a short-term victory and relax. This can lead us into complacency or laziness because we feel like our work is done when really it’s just begun. Life isn’t about having one victory after another — it’s about finding systems that work for you and sticking with them so that your victories become more permanent than temporary.

It’s easy to say that you want to lose weight or save money, but when life gets busy it can be difficult. What if instead of setting a goal for yourself you just make a plan? A plan is more realistic because it doesn’t have a hard date on which success needs to happen. You don’t have time frames either so you aren’t stressing about what might not get done by then. A plan also allows you flexibility- if something comes up in your day-to-day life that requires more attention than usual, like an emergency at work or taking care of kids while they’re sick, then it’s okay because your plan will still be intact as long as you take care of those responsibilities first before doing anything else.

You have to commit to the process to see the progress. Setting goals and achieving them is a process. When we set goals and choose a system that works for us, we will realize it becomes part of us; we set goals and work with the system that is already in place. It’s not something you can start and stop at any time.

Setting goals can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. A system ensures you continue playing in the game and making progress towards your goal. It’s important that you start with small steps and build up from there. What are some of the things that can help keep you on track?

• Start with a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable, Relevant/Realistic, Timely)
• Create an action plan for how you will achieve this goal and what obstacles might come up along the way
• Be accountable by telling someone about your plan

When we start by getting the right systems in place, achieving set goals becomes easier and we breeze right though it. The problem is not that goals are bad for you but that we miss the point if goals are the only things we set, forgetting we need systems that make our goals attainable. So, go right on, set those goals and when you’re done, make a plan and have a system in place that ensures you see exactly what you want when you want it. Remember, without systems, goals are just items on a list.