Goals versus systems: how to seize best

Goals versus systems, which one is the best?  It tends to be generally accepted that the former is the only option.  However, read my article and think twice.  

During ten years experience of working on my terms, I’ve considered much.  I always value finding better methods and results.  On my self-improvement blog, I share much with my readers.

It’s often said that the majority of new blogs don’t make it past their first anniversary.  Blogging certainly needs perseverance.  Expecting an impressive level of income quickly often doesn’t become a reality.

Goals versus systems

Pin down the difference between goals and systems.  Although both tend to be related, they have their differences.  Choose the one that can bring better success.

Goal-setting is very popular.  The focus on what to achieve is a common approach.  It’s an important one, however, going further and deeper pays off.

You set aims and objectives for yourself.  The SMART criteria (specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time-related) is well known worldwide.  Find out more about it on Wikipedia.

Systems include the process you set in place.  The habits you adopt bring you results.  The process is what leads you toward your desired outcomes.

Read about evaluating the aims you set.  They can become outdated over time.  Find my other article, if you’d like to know more about the evaluation of set targets.

Results and processes

Systems not goals bring you closer to your dreams.  Aims define what you want to achieve.  How you reach them depends on your actions. 

Unless you take the right steps at the right time, your dream might remain just a dream.  Aims give you a better idea of what to focus on.  However, you rely on your process to accomplish it over time. 

Developing great habits supports you all the way.  Gradually, you see consistent results.  You may read about habit stacking in my other post.

Long term focus

Your objectives are a great guide toward your progress.  However, it’s a shorter-term focus.  For example, you say you’ll write ten articles this month.  Your focus is on creating the articles.

With a process, you focus on developing the right habits.  In doing so, you gain much more.  This is a long-term success approach.

Joy isn’t momentary

When you value the process, you see ongoing growth.  On the other hand, concentrating on the aims doesn’t.  With solely an objective in mind, you experience success or failure once.

A victory that comes from a plain target, can seem decisive.  When you reach it, it’s a joy for a moment.  If you miss out, it looks like defeat.

With a focus on building the right habits, you recognize small wins.  Even if you miss the target, you know you’ve gained in other ways.  By learning from failure, future success is still possible.

Daily habits add up

Embracing a better process, you develop a system.  This is more than a mere target.  It’s a larger view of things in life.

Some crucial actions support you all the way. In personal and professional life, they’re valuable. Find my article which highlights beneficial golden actions.

More than direction

Objectives tell you what you want to achieve.  They’re important, as they guide you.  However, a well-thought process in place gives more than direction.

Through better actions, you accomplish more than one target.  The habits you develop are valuable for a lifetime.  They support you in achieving many future targets.

You can always tweak your process.  See what needs updating.  Adjust it to actual circumstances.

Mindset shift benefits

It’s a common practice to give much credit to goal-setting.  Doing so is helpful.  However, going further by valuing systems can be more beneficial.

The general mindset tells us all about setting resolutions.  I see how it helps.  However, the routines and work processes I’ve built over time, are more supportive.

Self-improvement is at the center of my blog.  I support bloggers and solopreneurs.  Read another post, if you’d like to find more of my articles on self-help.

Gradual progress framework

Taking small steps is often beneficial.  With outcome-based thinking, you define clear milestones.  In addition, develop process-oriented strategies.

The environment is complex and unpredictable.  The aims you set can become redundant.  Review them, as well as your process and habits.  Make changes for the better. 

With a better approach, you never fail.  You fail only if you give up.  With updated systems, you find a better way out.

What it means for bloggers

The approach of systems vs goals concerns everyone.  I’ll give examples in the blogging context.  I share tips with my readers, who also tend to be bloggers and solopreneurs.

How aims support you:

• Giving direction and focus
• Staying motivated
• Tracking progress
• Celebrating wins

How to create systems instead of goals (or alongside):

• Developing habits for better success
• Sustainable in the longer term
• Adaptable to change, being flexible
• Scalable and achieve bigger goals

Get the best of both worlds

Leverage goals and systems for blogging success.  Relying solely on aims is often lacking in results.  Together with a robust process, you’re better equipped for progress.

There may be different views as follows:

• Focus on goals
• Focus on systems
• Combine goal-setting and systems

I love having objectives and small milestones.  Coupled with great daily habits, I get the best results.  I choose to go for both, with a special focus on my process.

How to create systems to achieve goals

I’ll take the example of a blogger, once more.  Let’s say you want to boost your content creation success.  You aim at creating more posts of better quality in a given time frame.

Your aim could be to focus on publishing eight new articles a month.  To make it happen, you improve your skills.  In turn, doing so supports you in generating content ideas and writing.  

With such an approach your benefits are twofold.  You have a target, which is short-lived.  You also have a reason to improve your skills, which is ongoing.

You have much to gain.  Even if you don’t hit the set target, you’ll still progress.  Let’s say you end up with only six articles that month, you’ve gained by finding a better approach to idea generation and content creation.

Once you’ve got the idea, extend it to other tasks.  Apply it to situations in personal and professional life.  Bloggers, solopreneurs, and any person can use it. 

Conclusion

I’ve described and highlighted the differences between the two approaches.  They’ve both got their importance.  Not goals versus systems, but rather combine them for longer-term benefits.