W.I.N. Wednesday: Process goals, systems, and action.
Yes, I know it is Thursday and the delay of a day was intentional. Now you have New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day out the way and can focus on getting into a rhythm for the coming year. If you have been reading this newsletter for a few years, you know that I am not a big fan of new year’s resolutions. Having said that, I appreciate that some of you are. If you are, or if you are a believer in small incremental improvement on a regular basis as part of your life, then below are a few thoughts to help you on that journey.
Action is critical.
“Deciding is not doing, and wanting is not choosing. Transformation will take place not because of what you decide you want, but because of what you choose to do.”
Eric Greitens
In a recent meta-analysis of the research on goal setting one of the key findings was, “Process goals were more beneficial for increasing performance and self-efficacy than other goal types.” So, what are your process goals? What are the small incremental steps that will move you from where you are to where you want to be.
“You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”
James Clear
In the book SIMPLIFY: A high performance playbook to win the real game author Richard Young PhD echoes James Clear’s thoughts on the importance of systems:
“Many performers never reach their high performance zone because they don’t have a system they can rely on.”
“It is not the goals you aim for; it is how you plan to achieve these goals. Goals don’t separate high performers; systems do. Systems are people, processes and how we operate.”
Systems help minimize the need to continually choose and the need to constantly rely on will power. Systems are not always about finding ways to add more things to your life and your schedule. Systems can help you to simply and reduce.
I often spend 24 to 32 weeks a year on the road. This means I spend a lot of time in hotels. For me to be as consistent as possible with my nutrition, exercise and sleep I have developed systems over the years.
Over the past 20 years on the road, I have developed systems for a lot of things including:
Minimizing disruptions to my circadian rhythms.
Ensuring consistency with my sleep schedule.
Ensuring consistency with my workouts at home and on the road.
Eating on the road when I am staying in a hotel with a kitchen.
Eating on the road when I am staying in a hotel with no kitchen, just a mini fridge.
Eating at home.
Travel days.
Building in a buffer day on the road as a prep / recover from travel day.
Teaching days on the road.
Does that mean I am special? Hell no. It is something I have learned from 20 years of trial and error. Does this mean that I never deviate from the system? No, but it minimizes the chances of that and allows for a greater level of consistency in my eating, sleeping and activity levels.
What’s Important Now? Develop process goals and systems and remember the key to transformation is action.
Take care.
Brian Willis
www.lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com
ONE QUESTION BRINGING FOCUS AND CLARITY IN THE CHAOS AND COMPLEXITY OF TODAY'S WORLD.
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