Don't Set Goals, Build Systems - Making 2024 Your Best Year Yet

We've all been there before. We get overly excited about the new year and set these extravagant goals for ourselves. "I want to gain an 8 pack", "I want to travel to 100 countries". Then as we go through the year, reality hits us and those goals start looking a little hard to reach 😅. Now, I don't think the problem is in how flamboyant a goal is (I'm a big believer that anything is possible), but the fault lies when our action starts and stops at the creation of the goal. So how do we stop this cycle? We build systems! In this blog post, we will explore the concept of building systems and how it can make 2024 your best year yet!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not wait until January 1st to start thinking about what you want to achieve in 2024, by doing this, you rush the process. Start NOW!

The 'Current Reality to My Vision' Matrix

Before we dive into the concept of building systems, let's take a moment to assess our current reality and envision where we want to be in one year. Use the following FREE template (download here) to evaluate different areas of your life:

Some ideas for areas to rate:

• Physical Health

• Finance

• Mental Wellness

• Relationships

• Career

Getting specific about your vision

Set some time out for yourself in a comfortable environment where you won't be distracted. Turn off that phone and tune into what YOU want. For each of these:

1. Rate your current situation out of 10 - don't think too hard about this.

2. Write an honest description of your current reality.

3. Write a paragraph about where you want to be in one year. Talk like it is already happening e.g. "I go to the gym three times a week". Don't be realistic. Be bold whilst also acknowledging that however crazy your goals are, YOU will be the one having to match up to them.

Fill out the first 3 columns before January.

You will do reviews during the year to assess where you currently are and what you should be working on. I'd recommend doing it mid-year and at the end, but do it as often as you find fit. This matrix is a great instant feedback tool which is bound to make you take action towards your goals.

Building Systems for Success

Now that we have identified our current reality and envisioned our desired future, it's time to shift our focus from setting goals to building systems. Goals are specific targets that we aim to achieve, but systems are the processes and habits that lead us to those goals.

Make your daily habits/practices so aligned with your goals that achieving them becomes inevitable. Set up a daily habit tracker incorporating actions to bridge you from reality to your goal. Take time to think about what incremental actions will take you to your goal.

For example, my goal is to obtain my dream role at a company.

I may create a daily habit of spending 30mins picking up a new skill for that role.

It can be overwhelming going from 0-100 by having lots of new daily habits so start slow—maybe just pick one at first. Then, over time, add one more every two weeks until you hit around seven.

It takes roughly 2 months to form a habit so eventually you will come to a stage where you no longer need to even think about doing your habit, it will come naturally, and this is the ultimate goal!

DON'T FORGET YOUR GOALS

It's so easy to write your goals on a paper on the 1st of Jan and forget about them the next day. A combination of reviewing the matrix throughout the year and ticking off your daily habit tracker will ensure your goals stay at the forefront of your mind. What you should see is the ratings on your matrix getting higher and the percentage of your daily tracker that's filled increasing.

Conclusion

As we embark on the journey of making 2024 our best year yet, remember that setting goals alone isnt enough, we need to focus on the daily habits we can put in place that will compound into our goals. Use the template provided to evaluate your current reality and envision your future, and then start building systems that will lead you to success. I look forward to hearing all your stories at the end of the year about how the matrix has helped you reach all your goals and beyond 🌟.

Until next week,

Ruth