Stop Setting Goals, Start Setting Systems
Every January, like clockwork, millions of people rush to gyms, journals in hand, full of resolutions. By March? Crickets. I used to see it all the time when I worked in the fitness industry—well-intentioned people with big goals, but no real way to make them stick.
It got me thinking: the problem isn’t the goal itself. Goals are great for giving you a sense of direction. The problem is they rely on motivation to get you there—and motivation is unreliable at best. What really works is having a system in place that keeps you moving forward, even when the spark fades.
That realization changed the way I approach everything: my habits, my routines, and even my career. I still set goals, but I don’t rely on them. Instead, I build systems—and it’s been a game-changer.
Why Goals Don’t Work By Themselves
Here’s the thing about goals—they sound great on paper, but they’re flawed in practice:
Motivation Is Fleeting
You might feel pumped when you set a goal, but motivation doesn’t last. Systems, on the other hand, don’t care if you’re motivated or not. They’re a b*tch to build, but they’ll keep you on track because they’re built into your day-to-day life.
Goals Focus on the Result, Not the Process
“Lose 10 pounds,” “Save $10K,” “Write a book.” These are all good goals, but without a clear process, they feel overwhelming—or worse, you might take shortcuts that make it harder to sustain progress.
They Have an Endpoint
What happens when you hit the goal? Do you stop? Without a system, it’s easy to lose momentum. You end up back where you started.
Here’s a personal example: When I graduated university, I had a whirlwind of a life at the time. Between a turbulent relationship, a brand new full-time remote corporate position, and a full-time course load at university—I thought I was going to go crazy. I loved the chaos at the time. I told myself I wouldn’t stop learning & growing, and I haven’t, but once I had my diploma in my hand, things felt different. My goal had been reached, and naturally my next thought was: Now what?
Systems are the answer. A goal is the next rung on the ladder of growth made possible by a solid system.
What Are Systems and Why Are They Effective?
From: Beyond deliberate self-control: habits automatically achieve long-term goals. Authored by Marco Stojanovic & Wendy Wood
A system is just a fancy way of saying “a routine you follow consistently.” Systems simplify your life by automating small decisions, so you’re not constantly debating whether to act. Here’s how it works:
Example 1: Instead of saying, “I want to save $10,000,” set up a system to automate monthly transfers💸 into savings and track your spending weekly.
Example 2: Instead of, “I want to get in shape,” schedule three workouts🏋🏽♀️ a week and meal prep🍛 every Sunday.
Systems work because they:
⭐️ Save your mental energy for bigger decisions.
⭐️ Build momentum through small, consistent wins.
⭐️ Adapt to life’s chaos—you can scale up or down, but the system stays in place.
You won’t be perfect, I’m certainly not. But it’s about being consistent.
My Systems for 2025
I’ll be honest—building systems takes trial and error. I’ve had plenty of routines that flopped because they were too ambitious or didn’t fit my life. But over time, I’ve figured out a few that really work for me. Here’s what I’m focusing on this year:
Morning Routine
I need structure in the mornings to set the tone for my day. Here’s my system:
⭐️ Hydrate: First thing, drink a glass of water (12oz -16oz).
⭐️ Move: A quick 10-minute walk or stretch. If I have the time, I walk to the nearest coffee shop☕️ and kill two birds with one stone.
⭐️ Reflect: Spend 15 minutes journaling & praying.
This simple routine has made a huge difference in how I start my day. I started noting down the Big 3 things I need to do with my day to stay on track with my goals as part of my morning planning & prayer—the Big 3 are determined by the quarterly vision, driven by the yearly & then longer-term visions from there. We’ll talk about my Notion dashboard another time, but I make all iterations of my life vision easy to reference so there isn’t any excuse I have for myself why I don’t just do those 3 things first—get them out of the way—and I can get to everything else.
The sacrifice I made for this is that I wake up at a holy hour every morning. I wake up anywhere between 4am - 7am depending on the day and whether an alarm is active. Then, I start my workday or get moving with my day. That’s the trade-off.
Bedtime Routine
How you end the day matters just as much as how you start it. My system is all about winding down intentionally:
⭐️ Tidy: Spend 10 minutes decluttering.
⭐️ Reflect: Write down 3 things I’m grateful for. Review wins, challenges, suggest improvements.
⭐️ Prepare: Set out what I’ll need for the next day.
Since I started doing this, I have less brain fog when it comes to where I should start to achieve my goals. I’ll share them later, once we’ve gotten to know each other better, but my clarity & focus has improved drastically since I’ve learned to cut out the thinking/buffering time I’m used to giving myself.
Rest & Relaxation Habits
I used to think rest meant being lazy. Now I see it as a way to recharge and stay productive. Here’s how I incorporate it:
⭐️ Under 15 minutes: Guided meditation or a quick stretch.
⭐️ Under 30 minutes: Reading or enjoying a cup of tea.
⭐️ 1 hour: Taking a walk or diving into a hobby.
The 7 Types of Rest is a newer idea in my sphere and I’m so grateful that social media shares gems like these with me from time to time.
I took a lot of inspiration from graphics in my Pinterest boards like this one to design systems that fit my life and that also get me to where I want to go.
How to Build Your Own System
Let’s break this down so you can try it for yourself. Pick one area of your life—health, finances, or creativity—and follow these steps:
Identify the Goal or Challenge
What’s something you want to improve or achieve?
Break It Into Easily-Digestible, Repeatable Actions
Focus on behaviors you can do consistently.
Example: Instead of “Write a book,” commit to writing for 20 minutes every morning or to writing 1000 words a day.
Track Your Progress
Use a journal, an app, or even a sticky note on your fridge—whatever helps you stay accountable. Me personally, I use 2 whiteboards, my Notion account, a planner/notebook, and ChatGPT.
Remember, systems don’t have to be perfect. They just have to work for you.
Ready to Make 2025 the Year of Systems?
This year, skip the resolutions. Instead, build systems that make progress inevitable. Start small, stay consistent, and watch how daily diligence transforms your life.
Let’s make 2025 the year of sustainable success.
