The first thing that came to my mind when I read today’s word “FOCUS” was this article by James Clear. The idea expressed in this short and well-written article is that instead of focusing on a precise goal, you need to focus on setting up the right system for you.

The whole concept of goal setting still dominates the general productivity school of thought. There are millions of books and articles written on that topic and praising it as a gold standard. Having a clear goal in any aspect of your life was and still is considered a critical prerequisite to success. Something that James Clear argues is a lost cause.

The main argument that changed my perspective of the topic was the following.

Winners and losers have the same goals.

We all have the same goals, but not all of us reach them

We all want to reach some level of financial independence, a fulfilled life, and a healthy lifestyle. Most of us fail to reach that goal regardless of how precise it is.

Let’s take the financial independence goal. Yes, you and I can have a different number in our heads, but it is still a number we can strive towards. Yet, this guarantees nothing. We can have that number in front of our eyes 24/7 and that won’t make a difference.

According to James Clear, instead of fixating on the number, we should focus on the system that can start pushing us towards financial growth. The more time we spend on improving the system, the less the number matters. Eventually, we will reach whatever level of financial independence we aim at.

Focus on the system, instead of a goal.

Goals can provide direction and even push you forward in the short-term, but eventually a well-designed system will always win. Having a system is what matters.

I strongly suggest you read the article and take notes.

This article is part of my writing challenge – Writing Seed. Join it and become more consistent with writing. It’s totally free.