These four hacks, if implemented, create a bulletproof system that will help you to crush even your most ambitious goals.

You don’t lack the ability to set goals, you lack the ability to achieve them.

• According to Forbes, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the beginning of February.

• Only 9% of people will successfully achieve their New Year’s resolution by the end of the year.

When this happens, it’s easier to say that “setting goals doesn’t work.”

But if you do that, you are throwing the self-development baby out with the bath water. Setting goals for yourself matters. A lot.

Why? Goals provide direction. A north star to steer your ship towards. A target to focus your energy. But goals only represent 20% of the equation.

So what’s the other 80%? Systems.

When asked in follow-up studies why people didn’t achieve their goals, the number one reason was that “the goals people set didn’t have actionable steps.”

As James Clear writes,

“You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.”

Therefore, goals are necessary but not sufficient. Goals help provide direction, but a system helps you make progress.

This year will be different for you. You won’t spend another year stuck in second gear struggling to achieve your goals.

If you implement all four of these boring system ‘hacks’ your results in 2023 will skyrocket.

Systems help you achieve your goals on autopilot.

How?

Time-blocking.

Set aside dedicated time in your calendar to work on your goals.

This simple habit will reduce mental energy and give you clarity of action.

Here’s how I implemented it:

I am not the most talented writer. I actually find it painfully hard to write. I am insecure and often frustrated by the process.

But every morning, I know I have a 1.5 + hour block of writing ahead of me. I do it every day, without fail. I can’t do anything else during this time.

This is what my Monday — Friday schedule looks like:

Since committing to writing every day:

• I’ve made more than $10,000 (AUD)

• Gained more than 20,000+ views on my articles

• Published more than 150+ unique blog posts

• Gained over 3,800 followers

I have friends who are 10x better writers than me.

They possess more creativity in their finger than I do as a human, but they can’t stick to something for more than a couple of months at a time.

That’s where I win.

Takeaway: Make your goals painfully obvious.

• Set aside dedicated time in the day to work on them.

• Block this time out in your calendar.

• Protect this time at all costs to work on your goals.

• Make adjustments and iterate on what works best.

Remember: The frequency of your actions will beat the intensity of your actions. 80% of the battle is simply showing up every day.

Systems take away willpower and motivation.

Creating systems reduces the friction of your goals.

We default to the path of least resistance, so make your goals so easy you can’t help but do them.

Here’s how I implemented it:

Goal: Read 52 books a year.

System:

• Read 20 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night to read without fail (time blocking).

• Bring a book with me at all times so I can fill in ‘dead’ time in transit, waiting rooms, or even on the treadmill at the gym (reduce friction)

How it works:

With this system, I can easily accumulate 1–2 hours of reading time throughout the day. Whenever I find myself with a spare 10–15 minutes to kill, I know I always have my book with me.

This system means I don’t rely on:

• Motivation

• Willpower

• Discipline

Even on a bad day when my schedule gets out of hand, I still manage to read 30 pages at a minimum.

I’ve massaged the friction away from reading my book. I’ve made reading easier than looking at my phone.

Takeaway: Make your goals so easy it doesn’t feel like work.

• Reduce your goal to the minimal amount of effort required per day.

• Execute your habit for only two minutes.

• Slowly increase those 2 minutes over time.

Remember: A habit needs to be established before it can be optimized.

Systems make your goals fun and exciting.

There are two ways to make your habits more rewarding:

1. Habit Stacking is creating a sequence of habits that removes conscious thought.

2. Temptation Bundling means you combine the things you want to do with the things you need to do.

Here’s the formula for Habit Stacking and Temptation Bundling from James Clear:

• After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [HABIT I NEED]

• After [HABIT I NEED, I will [HABIT I WANT]

Here’s how I implemented it:

• After I get my morning coffee (want), I will start brainstorming a new article (need).

• After I brainstorm a new article (need), I will scroll through LinkedIn for 15 minutes (want).

Using this formula means I don’t deprive myself of anything. I am able to execute my needs while still enjoying my wants.

Takeaway: Make your habits attractive.

• Use the habit stacking and temptation bundling formula.

• Combine the habits you need (i.e exercise) to do with the habits you want (i.e morning coffee) to do.

Remember: “Doing the thing you need to do means you get to do the thing you want to do” — James Clear

Systems make your goals rewarding

Every time I execute my systems, I consider myself successful.

I don’t need to wait to achieve my yearly goal in order to feel like I am making progress.

Here’s how I implemented it:

• I use a physical checklist to track my daily habits.

• I have a daily ‘wins’ list to track activities that contribute to my goals.

• I reflect every Sunday on how I performed throughout the week.

• I use this data to make necessary changes.

A checklist and wins list provide feedback that I am progressing.

I get a little spike of dopamine when I physically check off a habit or look back on all my wins for the day.

Your yearly goals are the accumulation of daily efforts. Track your day-to-day habits, and your yearly goals become easier to achieve.

Takeaway: Make your habits satisfying.

• Don’t wait until you’ve achieved your goal to reward yourself.

• Simply executing your system daily is cause for mini-celebrations.

• Use checklists, journals, and prompt cards to help provide feedback that you’re progressing.

• Enjoy the internal rewards of feelings of progress.

Remember: Habits that are rewarded, are repeated. And progress fuels action.

Pulling it all together with a bow tie

Implementing one of these processes will make your goals clearer.

Implementing two to three of these processes will make your goals attainable.

Implementing all of these processes will make your goals bulletproof.

As F. Matthias Alexander said:

People don’t decide their futures. They decide their habits and their habits decide their future.

Here’s how to create your bulletproof system:

• Make your habits obvious.

• Make your habits easy.

• Make your habits attractive.

• Make your habits rewarding.

Good luck

(but with your systems, you won’t need luck).

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