Are Your Systems Propelling You Forward ... Or Hold You Back?
Posted on March 21, 2023 by Bryan Yates, One of Thousands of Performance Coaches on Noomii.
Creating simple systems with a little bit of leverage in our lives can propel us forward. I think it's James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits," who ..
Confessional moment here!
Raise your hand with me if you’ve been procrastinating on a thing or three. [Telling on myself by inserting my own raised hand emoji here.]
I’ve had this same stupid legal pad list of blog/post/newsletter topics FOR MONTHS. It’s pretty much filled with topics on both sides. There’s no shortage of ideas here. Some of ‘em are even pretty decent. And yet…. and yet I’ve not made a substantive dent in any of it. Ugh.
Why is that?
Is it because I don’t like writing? Not exactly. I find writing arduous and unnatural for me, but I don’t dislike it. In fact, I appreciate how it forces me to crystallize my own thinking and argument structures.
Is it because I’m lazy or easily distracted? Well, I would often prefer to go for a bike ride or trail run, sure. And, sometimes shiny things, or cute things like the deer outside my office, capture my attention. But I do love to work my butt off making stuff from nothing. So lazy isn’t the answer.
Is it a fear of commitment? It’s true that, at this stage in my life and career, I’m enjoying a bit of being freeform in some areas.
At the moment, what it’s coming down to is my systems. I am missing some of the core processes that keep this engine in motion. The one big idea that I work with business owners and managers on—cultivating their “inner athlete” thinking—is the one thing I’m not doing in this area of my own business.
This is the difference between a general fitness enthusiast and an athlete. It is the difference between between being a mere gym goer and someone who’s practicing a craft. I learned this lesson back when I owned Los Angeles Spin studios…. There is a difference between working out and training. Fitness enthusiasts—in my experience—tend to be outcome focused on things like how many calories they burned or de-stressing from a hectic day.
A training athlete, however, focuses on their systems … their process. Those systems—how they focus their train, how they target goals, how they fuel their engines, how they recover—are all oriented towards a purpose. Our CLARITY, VELOCITY & GRACE comes from the quality and consistency of our systems.
Our systems don’t need to be overly complicated or intimidating. But, they do need to have a little leverage on us, so that we’re compelled to do them … until they simply become muscle memory.
Creating simple systems with a little bit of leverage in our lives can propel us forward. I think it’s James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits,” who says, “we don’t rise to the level of our abilities. We fall to the level of our systems.” I’m paraphrasing, but the point is that if you’re at a cross-roads it might be time to get some help with your systems.
To be fair, sometimes we need a break from our systems. That can be part of our recovery and recharging process. Being ready, willing, and able to switch them back on is also part of that “inner athlete” thinking.
If we want our change to stick, and we want results from that change, it happens in the quality and consistency of our systems. What are your systems right now if ….
1. You’re Overwhelmed In Your Business?
2. You’re Looking For A Job?
3. You’re Actively Hoping And Seeking A New Job?
4. You’re Trying To Break Through Inner Resistance On A Thing?
Askin’ For A Friend…
Curious to give it a try? I’ve got ya covered with a free coaching session. Seriously, yo, it’s a free conversation that might just bring you clarity and velocity.
