Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead.
There is roughly a 60 percent chance that the New Year resolution you committed to back in January is no longer a thought in your mind. People use many different approaches to try and accomplish a goal with the hope that they will ultimately reach success. Most of us start by thinking of something we want to change in our lives, then set a specific and actionable goal — maybe write it down — and hope for the best.
From my work as a therapist, I’ve learned that many don’t achieve their goal(s) or lose interest quickly because they don’t spend quality time creating a system that promotes behavior change.
Goals can provide direction and a focus for the short term, but in order to make lasting progress, a well-designed system is a catalyst for everyday habits that will enable the positive change we want to see in our lives.
What is the Difference Between Goals and Systems?
If you’re a career changer, your goal is to get a new job in a different occupation. Your system is what you do every day to better understand your current career values, interests, and skills while also increasing your professional and company knowledge.
If you want a promotion, your goal is to get a job with more responsibility and pay. Your system is investing daily in honing and improving your skills.
Systems thinking is similar to how athletes practice skills for the big game. Every person can benefit from developing professional skills in this way.
A timeless lesson from Aristotle is, “We are what we repeatedly do.” Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” If quality change comes from habits developed through everyday actions, let’s review a few suggestions to help create better systems for career success.
Tip # 1: Cut Back on Social Media and Screen Time.
These activities can impact one's sleep quality and affect our ability to pay attention for long periods of time. Lack of sleep can lead to a lack of focus and, more significantly, frustration when trying to work toward your goals and evokes a feeling of vulnerability. Brené Brown, Founder and CEO at Brave Leaders Inc., describes in her book Daring Greatly a phenomenon called “numbing.” Brené describes numbing as any activity (TV, the internet, etc.) that we use to numb our feeling, so we don’t experience vulnerability. Numbing distracts us from better understanding career interests and values.
Tip # 2: Declutter Your Mind.
Cultivate present-minded thinking and learn to take responsibility for your emotions, behaviors, and actions. Become aware of where you’re dedicating your time and energy. Start to develop a habit of writing your thoughts on paper. Stephen Covey wrote The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, which seeks to give tools to prioritize your thoughts.
Tip #3: Great Things Start Small.
According to a Harvard Business Review article, “The Power of Small Wins” by Teresa Amabile, tracking small achievements helps motivate and boost confidence… and also, this is the way to begin the process of changing habits.
Resources:
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
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