When we think about a particular path we want to take – maybe we want to become more financially responsible or want to get rid of that Christmas-tummy, the mountain to climb often feels daunting. Why else do we set new years resolutions? If we deemed these lifestyle changes as trivial, then we wouldn’t wait a whole year to start actioning them! While there is some truth to the magnitude of what changing your life can look like, a simple perspective change is all it takes to turn a mountain into a grain of sand.
Goals Vs. Systems
Life is a game of momentum; something that is built incrementally. That is how we develop habits, addictions and every other aspect of our identity. However, what we lose sight of all too often is our own agency over this momentum. In ‘Atomic Habits’, James Clear talks about the efficacy of following systems instead of setting goals. Goals can be daunting, and even if you do hit them, what do you do next? Systems, on the other hand, prescribe a process for achieving goals. The beauty of systems if that they scale, whereas goals do not. If your goal is to lose 10kg, then you’re stuck at that benchmark, but if your system includes doing simple exercise for 15 minutes every day, it’ll only be a matter of time before you have lost 10kg.
This change in thinking – from outcome to process – can have a profound impact on your life. Don’t be intimidated by the term ‘profound’. You don’t have to do anything profound today, tomorrow or next week. All it takes is commitment to your systems. These systems (for better or worse) can impact your mind, body & soul. So, what systems can you put in place to ‘level-up’ these core aspects of who you are?
Mind
Check your phone right now – how much time are you spending on it a day? If I was a gambling man, I would put money on your screen time being at least 30 minutes a day. What did you learn in those 30 minutes of being in your phone? Can you even remember what you spent that time consuming? Likely not.
Here’s your first opportunity to implement a system – take away just 15 minutes of that screen time a day and take that opportunity to read a book. It could be a little as half a page – remember, it’s not about the goal (finishing the book), it’s about the system. Who knows what knowledge you will have accumulated after implementing this system for just 1 year!
Body
Another fantastic example of the benefits of thinking in terms of systems instead of goals can be seen in our own health & fitness. This doesn’t mean that you have to run a marathon or bench press twice your weight – instead, it can be as simple as making sure you spend 15 minutes a day performing simple exercises or functional movement. It’s no secret that the world we live in today is one where we spend the vast majority of our time sat down, but humans have been around a lot longer than chairs! Take the time to bring your body back to what it’s meant to do – move.
The benefits of simple, functional movement are far more wide-reaching than just your physical health. All it can take it 10 minutes of exercise to have a noticeable positive effect on your mental health too.
Soul
While the body is usually pretty good at telling us when something is not in alignment, a misalignment of our soul is far more subtle. It’s easy to overthink that argument you had last week, worry about that deadline that’s approaching or simply drown in the noise of your own mind. With this said, we rarely take the time to quiet our busy minds.
The power of following a 15 minute guided meditation cannot be overstated. Again, the benefits here will have an impact on your entire life: from better sleep quality to improved focus & concentration. Of course, the fact that giving time to the mind, body or soul has positive effects of all of the above is more clear, when understanding that these aren’t separate components we’re working on, but are all part of the same system.
Conclusion
We should all aspire to become the best version of ourselves, but such a goal can often feel like a formidable task. However, by shifting our perspective from focusing on the goal to the daily systems we put in place is a far more manageable endeavor – and while our lives may be fast paced and often feel lacking of the time it may take to achieve such goals, all you need to do is give yourself 15 minutes a day to start your journey towards your betterment. After all, what better journey is there to be on.
