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The Idea of the Week
“You don’t rise to the level of your goals.
You fall to the level of your systems.”
—James Clear, Atomic Habits
Goal: a result you want to achieve.
System: a process that leads you to the result you want to achieve.
When we shift our focus from the goal (the result) to the system (the process), we embrace the journey instead of focusing on the end product. James Clear compares it to playing a game: “The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game.”
Please note that setting a system does not mean that we don’t also have goals. Our systems will help us reach our goals, but more importantly, when we set a system we’re focusing on being in the present, rather than focusing on the goal and just doing the steps to reach our goal.
In the 14-minute video, Rowena Tsai will talk about the difference between goals and systems, how she created her system, and tips for creating your own system.
Practice of the Week
This week, as you may create your new year’s resolutions and goals for 2023, we encourage you to create systems.
In part 2 of Rowena Tsai’s system series (a 13-minute video), she shares 4 steps to create your system:
- Identify your “why.” Rowena shares the “Gap Analysis”: first you look at your current situation and the different pillars of your life right now. Then, think about your desired situation by considering “in an ideal world, how would I be living my life?”
- Define your “how.” How can you close the gap between your current situation and your desired situation? Here you’ll create your system to reach your desired situation.
- Execute your “what.” What will you have to do in order to achieve your desired situation? What are the actionable, daily incremental steps you can take?
- Assess and adjust. Once your system is created and executed, throughout your journey, step back and assess if you need to make changes to your system. Sometimes, some things that worked for us before may not work for us now or later. If your system is no longer working for you, you are not obligated to stick to the “original plan.” Adjust your system as you need to.
How is your system-setting going? Let us know on our Instagram or Facebook page!
Meditation of the Week
The holidays are over and the new year has begun! Whether you view the new year as a fresh start or not, we may carry our anxieties and worries from the holiday and end-of-year stress with us into the new year. Or, maybe we feel worried about the new year and anxious about our work, personal life, or relationships. When we become anxious, we must remember to pause and breathe, grounding ourselves so we can move forward with a clear and calmer mind.
In this week’s meditation, Caitlin will guide you through breathing away your anxious thoughts (10 minutes).
The Thought of the Week
Wishing you a peaceful week!
