Create Solid Systems, Stop Obsessing Over Perfect Goals
will you measure success by your accuracy at shooting targets or by your ability to put a flywheel in motion?
"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
James Clear paraphrasing ancient Greek poet Archilochus who is attributed to have said “We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.”
In “Students of Leadership” today we talk about why systems not only matter more than goals but how different they wire your brain to think towards sustainable excellence. In the professional sphere, I’ve known people that become so obsessed about the words to put in their goals, how to precisely write them in whatever format is provided, o define it, how to be SMART about them and make everybody happy with their accomplishments, except themselves and their teams. It comes down to a race in the surface -in my humble opinion- as opposite to a launch to the moon.
Winning a race is phenomenal, but steering to the moon is a different game.
I want to be clear on this, I am not talking about not focusing on achieving concrete outcomes at the expense of dreaming with big things and never get anything done. Results matter and they need to be measured, progress needs metrics. But what I am talking against is to a way of managing that constrains with formal obligations and artificial timelines as the measure of success, as opposite to encouraging systems thinking with the ask to create a personal/team flywheel with clear leading indicators, so instead of focusing in the crossing of a line (lagging indicator) to define success, focusing on measuring momentum and progress on critical levers over time.
Personally, this would be liberating and would lead to more interesting conversations and even higher engagement. A strong performer wants to get things done while driving big things forward, not feeling under constant pressure for daily deliverables on the brink of burn out.
But hey, what do I know?
You can be fixated on goals, but have no systems.
A GOAL represents an endpoint, a desired outcome, the finish line. Goals can motivate but they’re fundamentally fleeting; once reached, energy and momentum dissipates.
A SYSTEM, on the other hand, is something entirely different. It puts in motion a consistent and repeatable set of processes and activities designed to achieve an outcome reliably and sustainably.
A system is architecture, a goal is wall built. Both matter! However, it wouldn’t be the first time that building a wall on time is celebrated as a great achievement even if it’s never used to build anything else or it ends up demolished later on.
Goals provide direction
Systems sustain progress
Systems demonstrate the quality of your thinking and the ability to generate momentum.
Goals are supporting actors, but often are presented as the main character.
When people are managed solely by goals it is not uncommon to hear they say that they feel just like a “cog in a wheel”, chasing fleeting victories under pressure resulting in burnout, followed by frustration or even complacency after milestones are achieved.
In contrast, managing by asking to create systems to evaluate progress against the most critical levers, helps build consistent excellence.
The sad part is that you can fake in some way goals, but you can’t fake systems.
With strong systems, results become a natural byproduct rather than a stressful target.
Lessons on the power of systems from world-class performers
Consider the Apollo space missions, which required intricate systems rather than simple goal setting. NASA didn’t just dream of landing on the Moon, they built a complex network of precise routines, practices, checklists, and sequences. Each astronaut understood that obsessing over the launch (the goal) was optional, delays could happen, but landing safely and returning back to Earth (executing the system) was mandatory. Without robust systems, the mission would inevitably fail.
I talked a bit about Amazon in my last newsletter, so since I have the readings fresh in my memory, let’s bring some lessons here too. Jeff Bezos famously deprioritized quarterly revenue targets, which are the conventional corporate goals, and instead built relentless, customer-focused systems. By obsessively fine-tuning every detail of their process, from warehouse logistics to customer service responses, Amazon generated exponential growth. Today, Amazon’s systems are so robust that extraordinary outcomes, such as near-instantaneous deliveries, feel inevitable rather than aspirational. I am convinced they could have never gotten here obsessing over goals and quarterly reports that would have been missed more often than not. Imagine corrections made to their systems based on those missed targets? Where would they be today?
Another powerful business example is Toyota's use of the "Kaizen" system. Rather than setting rigid production quotas, Toyota focuses intensely on continuous improvement of manufacturing processes. Workers at all levels actively identify small, incremental enhancements daily. This systematic approach has allowed Toyota to consistently produce high-quality vehicles more efficiently and reliably than competitors. As a result, Toyota became the world's largest automaker, demonstrating how system improvements compound dramatically over time.
Habits of Very Successful Leaders
Consider legendary investor Warren Buffett. Buffett never set a public goal of becoming one of the richest people on earth. Instead, he designed an incredibly simple system: relentless daily reading. Buffett famously reads around 500 pages every day. It’s not a goal he checks off a list; it’s an integral, non-negotiable part of his day. Over time, this simple daily habit created an unmatched reservoir of knowledge, giving Buffett his extraordinary edge.
Another powerful example is Steve Jobs. Jobs didn’t obsess over short-term quarterly goals. Instead, he systematically focused on product excellence and innovation, embedding habits of relentless questioning and creativity within Apple’s culture. These daily practices were so deeply ingrained that they consistently produced groundbreaking products like the iPhone redefining entire markets and far surpassing traditional goal-based performance metrics.
“Systems Eat Goals For Dinner Every Night” (paraphrasing)
Goals often rely on willpower and push, but systems leverage the far more reliable engine of critical thinking and habit. While willpower diminishes under stress, habit persists and in many cases are part of the reasons why one may feel less stress in the first place. Goals suggest an endpoint, while systems accommodate constant improvement, turning individual excellence into organizational strength.
As Bill Walsh, the legendary NFL coach who turned around the San Francisco 49ers, famously said, “The score takes care of itself.” Walsh didn’t fixate on winning specific games. Instead, he established a systematic standard of excellence with meticulous practice routines, clear communication methods, and disciplined teamwork. He understood intuitively that system-driven excellence inevitably produced championship results.
“Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.” – Aristotle
In Closing, a Possible Plan of Action: From Goals to Unstoppable Systems
Here are three concrete actions you can implement immediately:
Audit Your Current Routines: Identify one major goal you're pursuing right now. Write down precisely what system you have in place to achieve it. If you don’t have one clearly documented, create it today, break it down into repeatable behaviors and focus relentlessly in executing against those behaviors, not in chasing the goal.
Establish Feedback Loops and Leading Indicators: Implement regular weekly reviews with primary focus on leading indicators to analyze your system’s performance. Are your daily actions moving in the right direction and not just crossing milestones? Catch deviations early to continuously refine your process.
Prioritize Process Over Endpoints: In your next team meeting or individual review, emphasize recognizing progress in daily execution rather than just milestones reached. Celebrate disciplined execution on the pillars of your flywheel and don’t obsess over an inconsequential lagging indicator.
The two cents
Commit today to transforming your goals into enduring systems and focus on well defined leading indicators to unlock an entirely new level of professional achievement.
Goals set the destination, but systems build the road.
P.S. Before I go, here you have “The Treat,” where I share some of the music that made me company while writing … Enjoy as you bid farewell to this post
“Lead yourself, Learn to live. Lead others, Learn to Build.”
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Great article. I especially like, “A system is architecture, a goal is wall built.”