Set Systems, Not Goals

Many of you must have been thinking lately: “With all the free time I have lately due to the quarantine, maybe I should start working on improving my grades, keeping a clean room, improving my health, etc.” Think about it, have you ever set goals for yourself ? I’m going to finish the year with an average grade of at least 80, I’m never eating sugar again, amongst a ton of other things. However, do you always seem to start motivated, only to end back on square one? Well, that’s probably because you’re focusing too much on a result you want to achieve, rather than the process, and since nothing changes in a day, you might end up losing motivation!

This is why you should focus on setting systems rather than goals. It may sound a little confusing at first, but I promise you it’s worth it.

Have you ever heard that saying that states Enjoy the Journey, Not The Destination? It sounds all bubbly and sparkly when you say it, almost is; kinda reminds me of those Live, Laugh, Love signs we all make so much fun about. But as much as we laugh about them, we have to realize that, well, they've got a point.

Think about it, what if instead of saying or writing in a notebook your next goal, say “improve my grades”, you set a system of habits directed towards them. When I arrive home I’ll dedicate a whole hour to finish my homework, or maybe, on Sundays, I dedicate thirty minutes to learn about a topic that interests me, and so on. Little by little you are gathering good habits that will help you accomplish the goals, even more, you can end up accomplishing things you hadn’t even thought about! It’s like building a little house, you may have a picture of it in your mind, but what are you going to do if you don’t have bricks? Or an actual blueprint? It can get to become confusing.

One of my favorite metaphors is to think of yourself as a little ecosystem that you have to take care of; try to water your plants everyday, pick up the trash, take care of the critters! Love and care of every aspect about yourself, and you’ll see yourself becoming something beautiful everyday.

By Valeria Beltrán, 10A