
Forget Setting Goals. Focus on Systems Instead - rukshn
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230333
======
TheBiv
A few years ago, I thought that I loved entrepreneurship bc it gave me the
ability to be creative and to build whatever a I wanted, whenever I wanted.

Then one of my mentors gave me a challenge: 1) In 15 seconds, write down all
of the things that you can think about, in the entire world, that is the color
white...(I could only muster up about 2 things)...Then, 2) in 15 seconds,
write down all of the things that you can think about, in you refrigerator,
that are white...(I came up with about 8 things)

This was then led to him describing how I should not think about the
entrepreneurship life as an unlimiting venture, he argued that I should put
limits on myself and develop a process to get to whatever goal I set out to
achieve.

This article echoes that sentiment of focusing on making the process more
efficient and use the goals as a way to plan, but don't focus on the goal,
focus on the process. I really liked this article. Thank you for sharing!

~~~
RBerenguel
IIRC this example is also in Heath's book "Made to Stick". It's a pretty mind
opening example (as most on that book.) Looks like you had a good mentor.

~~~
TheBiv
I will for sure have to check that book out! Thank you for the note!

~~~
RBerenguel
Ot's on my top 3 ever for marketing-ideas-stuff, together with "Mastery" and
"Influence". Probably the best 3 non-fiction books i've read lately, for the
usefulness/interestingness ratio.

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tim333
Reminds me a bit of Scott Adams thing
[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230462610...](http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304626104579121813075903866)

~~~
robotresearcher
No kidding. It's the same idea.

It bothers me when ideas are presented without even a nod towards their
history. I guess all writers are not obliged to do scholarship like
journalists and academics, but I wish the publication would point out that we
are not reading journalism right now.

Even if this guy developed this stuff all by himself, the fact that these are
not globally original ideas should be acknowledged. Adams' book cheerfully
points out that none of his stuff is really new apart from his personal
anecdotes.

~~~
incision
_> "It bothers me when ideas are presented without even a nod towards their
history. I guess all writers are not obliged to do scholarship like
journalists and academics, but I wish the publication would point out that we
are not reading journalism right now."_

I think it might be easier to just recognize that an awfully lot of the web
isn't any kind of journalism. For instance, this is a reposted blog entry on a
site full of "Top X" lists. The context is the disclaimer.

 _" >Even if this guy developed this stuff all by himself, the fact that these
are not globally original ideas should be acknowledged. Adams' book cheerfully
points out that none of his stuff is really new apart from his personal
anecdotes."_

Why?

One is a 1300 word blog post, the other is a 257 page book with a major
publisher.

It would make for an arduous life if everyone was required to research and/or
acknowledge the first recorded instance of every notion they have before
sharing.

~~~
joshsegall
This is basically systems thinking, which was around before Scott Adams was
born. It's okay for people to independently come to the same conclusion in a
way that's meaningful to them. He's not claiming an invention, he's trying to
pass on wisdom.

------
daphneokeefe
This point is made very well in the book How To Fail At Almost Everything by
Scott Adams of Dilbert fame, an excellent read [http://www.amazon.com/How-
Fail-Almost-Everything-Still/dp/15...](http://www.amazon.com/How-Fail-Almost-
Everything-
Still/dp/1591846919/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390192643&sr=1-1&keywords=scott+adams+-+how+to+fail+at+almost+everything+and+still+win+big)

~~~
cpayne
Am I the only one who thinks the article is just a summary of Scott Adam's
book?

~~~
someotheridiot
That was my first thought - "he just ripped off Scott!"

~~~
visakanv
Scott wrote a Goals vs Systems blogpost before he wrote the book:

[http://www.dilbert.com/blog/entry/goals_vs_systems/](http://www.dilbert.com/blog/entry/goals_vs_systems/)

EDIT: oops, this was after the book. The one before the book is as follows:

[http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/systems/](http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/systems/)

------
xux
The problem with focusing on the system is that it gives you an excuse to
procrastinate. Last set too hard? Well I workout everyday anyways! That bag of
chips is irresistible? Well I ate healthy all week!

The Goal vs System approach work for two distinct types of people. If you
generlaly like laid back, passive work (ex. stable job with a a few nice
sideprojects, worksout everyday, has a nice rythmic life), then the System
approach is for you. You're already pretty content with your life, and
everything you do should work toward maximizing stability and hapiness.

The goal approach is different. If you're a frequent procrstinator; if you
have brief bursts of productivity followed by long lulls of laziness; then
goal is for you. Goal forces you to deal with situations that you'd rather
procrastinate, essentially keeping your energy in check.

For most entrepreneur, I'd imagine the second approach would work better.

~~~
calinet6
This doesn't discredit goals, they're still very useful, and your process must
align with your goals to help reach them.

The way you'd think about procrastination, for example, wouldn't be to simply
set goals of productivity, but to find the underlying causes of your
procrastination. Often this is a lack of organization, a lack of system to
determine what to do next, a physiological issue, a lack of time to meet your
basic needs, or a lack of ability.

All of these have systemic roots, and systematic solutions. Improve your
system and get your tasks out of your head (GTD), fix your metabolism
(systematic exercise, diet, etc), change your schedule to make time for your
unmet needs, or systematically learn skills that allow you to progress faster.

Systems thinking isn't about ignoring goals, but rather about solving the
roadblocks, which are usually systemic in nature due to the natural complexity
of human nature.

Rarely are solutions so simple as "want your goal harder." Look one or two
levels deeper, and you get into systems thinking, and you find better
solutions that are more effective. You still have to want your goal, but
you'll be more successful at actually reaching it.

~~~
xux
What we're discussing here isn't how to maximize happiness. An entrepreneur's
job isn't to be happy, it's to get things done.

I specifically bring up entrepreneurs because 1.) I assume most people here
can connect and 2.) it's one of the professions where short term productivity
fix (2-3 years) is more important than bringing a lifetime of "fixes"

Yes you can solve your underlying procrastination problem. But assuming it's
an underlying psychological issue, can you genuinely undue decades of "damage"
in short enough timeframe to run your company?

Simply put, there just isnt' time for you to accomplish whatever habit you
didn't have before but want to gain by using a system. That's why a system is
great for people who are fine with a stable, long-term job. But for an
entrepreneur, a "quick fix" solution of using goals will get you further.

~~~
calinet6
This is simply false. Goals are incomplete realizations of the processes
needed to accomplish them. You'll find a process whether or not you use your
goals in full; the question is whether you do it intently and with awareness
of the consequences.

------
jonsen
Systemics is an undervalued competence area. It should be taught in school. (
_Before_ coding.)

~~~
enos_feedler
This is interesting. Do you have a reading list or any good resources on the
topic?

~~~
petercooper
I'm currently doing a course on systems thinking for an MSc in software
engineering and our main text book is _Systems Practice: How to Act in a
Climate-Change World_ by Ray Ison. Oddly it has almost nothing to do with
climate change but I'm finding it a pretty good primer to systemic inquiry and
the terminology involved.

I'm also finding learning about systems practice is making a huge impact on
how I consider my work and my role within it. My goal in taking the MSc was to
eventually become a "real" engineer and I'm finding systems to be a hugely
important first step with that.

~~~
ridicter
This book looks fascinating! Thanks for mentioning it. (I do a lot of climate
change related activism, and I'm always on the lookout for resources like
these!)

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lowbloodsugar
>In the last 12 months, I've written over 115,000 words. The typical book is
about 50,000 to 60,000 words, so I have basically written two books this year.

>Can you imagine if I had made it my goal to write two books this year? Just
writing that sentence stresses me out.

This is precisely why the goal is important. This guy focused on the system,
and instead of writing two books, produced twice as many words of not-books.

At college I had some friends who wrote many extremely cool game demos. Not
one published a game. I focused on publishing a game. It turns out that
writing a game involves a hell of a lot more than writing a demo (a lot of
boring shit actually).

I expect it is the same with books and online articles. 115,000 words of
articles doesn't make a book, and I expect doesn't require the practitioner to
develop a system capable of writing books.

------
hassy
If you liked this you should read The Score Will Take Care Of Itself by Bill
Walsh who lead San Francisco 49ers to win three Super Bowls.

Jack Dorsey recommended this book at the recent Startup School

[http://www.amazon.com/The-Score-Takes-Care-
Itself/dp/1591843...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Score-Takes-Care-
Itself/dp/1591843472)

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEQawgkCMOU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEQawgkCMOU)

------
CookWithMe
This does only work if the system guarantees that you'll reach whatever you
set out to do. I don't think that is the case most of the time. Even in his
example:

> In the last 12 months, I've written over 115,000 words. The typical book is
> about 50,000 to 60,000 words, so I have basically written two books this
> year.

No, he hasn't written two books. A book is usually not a collection of random
articles, but has a clear structure. Furthermore, only writing the book will
never get it published. Whether one wants to self-publish or work with a
publisher, both things will need a significant time/work investment at various
points in time, and will most likely not be covered in his (initial) system.

Similarly, if you wanted to launch a software business, you'd probably create
a system that includes writing software. If you're good, it may also include
talking to users. If you'd forget about your goal and just followed that
system, you'd never launch. Even if you arrive at a state where you want to
release your software, you need to (consciously) break your system and care
about one-off tasks like setting up a company, terms of service and what-not.

~~~
TheBiv
I don't think that the author disagrees with you. The headline is definetly
hyperbole, but he does not discredit the values goals can bring. In his own
words "None of this is to say that goals are useless. However, I've found that
goals are good for planning your progress and systems are good for actually
making progress."

------
personlurking
I read this last night in some off-hand article I came across but really liked
it. I'm translating from Portuguese, but here's what it said.

"You know those things that we start doing almost by chance and they end up
becoming a goal in life? There's a lot of people that choose their profession
like this: do something because you want to and then that thing ends up being
so important that it lasts many, many years. It doesn't mean that it's any
less important than the projects that already start out with large goals."

There's obviously something to be said for marrying the two. I've been
captivated by a subject matter for my entire adult life (though I'm only in my
30s) but I never seriously tried to make it into a business. I never made it a
matter of 'sink or swim' and I think that's been my problem.

------
SeanA208
This is an encouraging piece of advice to those who have set goals and had
trouble achieving them. Focusing on process allows you to revel in the success
you feel from "ordinary" work and gives you the encouragement you need to push
through to the next day.

------
mathattack
Systems thinking and process thinking are very big.

Built to Last by Collins covers this a lot. They don't skip goals (it's a big
part of it) but much of the book is about soft things done right. Leadership
is huge. Building systems is huge.

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supercoder
I forgot everything about the article when the blocking newsletter popup
appeared.

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aymeric
As part of setting systems for yourself, set your environment to make
fulfilling these systems easier. I call it "friction less systems" for the
lack of a better term.

1\. Make it easier to exercise everyday by choosing sports that are close to
home (or at home).

2\. Make it easier to not indulge in junk food by not having junk food at
home.

3\. Make it easier to drink more water by having the same water bottle as part
of the gear you carry with you.

4\. Make it easy to not waste time watching TV by not having a TV.

5\. Make it easy to not waste time playing video games by not uninstalling
video games once you are done indulging in them.

~~~
toumhi
So Aymeric, you stopped playing video games? ;-)

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sc90
To simply put it:Focus on the process, not the result.

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jjoe
The article went on to describe in hundreds of words when it really needed one
and that's _methodology_. You have to be methodical in your approach to
success. Rinse and repeat the effort every day until things start taking
shape.

~~~
calinet6
It's larger point was that how you think about success matters very much. If
you focus on your goals, you'll lose sight of process; but if you focus on
correct process, you don't need to have sight of your goals.

------
mkrecny
Aren't 'systems' just smaller recurring goalz?

~~~
incompatible
They are more like the means used to reach the goal. But if you get rid of the
goal, there's no need for the system. So I think his idea "Forget setting
goals" fails.

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hahahafail
> For a minute or two, I thought about doing my final set. Then, I reminded
> myself that I plan to do this for the rest of my life and decided to call it
> a day.

Never.

------
Fasebook
If you don't focus on your own goals, you're just working for someone else.

