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Comment by xux | Hacker News Reader

The problem with focusing on the system is that it gives you an excuse to procrastinate. Last set too hard? Well I workout everyday anyways! That bag of chips is irresistible? Well I ate healthy all week!

The Goal vs System approach work for two distinct types of people. If you generlaly like laid back, passive work (ex. stable job with a a few nice sideprojects, worksout everyday, has a nice rythmic life), then the System approach is for you. You're already pretty content with your life, and everything you do should work toward maximizing stability and hapiness.

The goal approach is different. If you're a frequent procrstinator; if you have brief bursts of productivity followed by long lulls of laziness; then goal is for you. Goal forces you to deal with situations that you'd rather procrastinate, essentially keeping your energy in check.

For most entrepreneur, I'd imagine the second approach would work better.

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This doesn't discredit goals, they're still very useful, and your process must align with your goals to help reach them.

The way you'd think about procrastination, for example, wouldn't be to simply set goals of productivity, but to find the underlying causes of your procrastination. Often this is a lack of organization, a lack of system to determine what to do next, a physiological issue, a lack of time to meet your basic needs, or a lack of ability.

All of these have systemic roots, and systematic solutions. Improve your system and get your tasks out of your head (GTD), fix your metabolism (systematic exercise, diet, etc), change your schedule to make time for your unmet needs, or systematically learn skills that allow you to progress faster.

Systems thinking isn't about ignoring goals, but rather about solving the roadblocks, which are usually systemic in nature due to the natural complexity of human nature.

Rarely are solutions so simple as "want your goal harder." Look one or two levels deeper, and you get into systems thinking, and you find better solutions that are more effective. You still have to want your goal, but you'll be more successful at actually reaching it.

What we're discussing here isn't how to maximize happiness. An entrepreneur's job isn't to be happy, it's to get things done.

I specifically bring up entrepreneurs because 1.) I assume most people here can connect and 2.) it's one of the professions where short term productivity fix (2-3 years) is more important than bringing a lifetime of "fixes"

Yes you can solve your underlying procrastination problem. But assuming it's an underlying psychological issue, can you genuinely undue decades of "damage" in short enough timeframe to run your company?

Simply put, there just isnt' time for you to accomplish whatever habit you didn't have before but want to gain by using a system. That's why a system is great for people who are fine with a stable, long-term job. But for an entrepreneur, a "quick fix" solution of using goals will get you further.

This is simply false. Goals are incomplete realizations of the processes needed to accomplish them. You'll find a process whether or not you use your goals in full; the question is whether you do it intently and with awareness of the consequences.

Big fan of the Dilbert book...I struggled for years to find a way to make things work for me. I always had 'performance anxiety' when it came to doing work on my 'real' projects that were nevertheless relegated to a hobby-level alongside something else that paid the bills. I had limited time and as a result I became incredibly stressed out when I couldn't muster peak-level attention and productivity during those few hours. For some reason I felt I could only do the project justice when I gave it all, interestingly this has resulted in bailing out too often and not progressing with anything for weeks. Conversely I was much less productive than now when I put all my effort into just simply doing something (anything) every day, let's say for 30 minutes. All the anxiety is now channeled into the thought of missing a day or not maintaining the routine :)

I think your aim should still be to, at minimum, cultivate a system that is aligned with both your short and long-term goals. Then, when circumstances allow, you are free to exceed that minimum by racing to meet ambitious goals. But you should never let anything break the 'background process' or the 'system' (aka. routine). Write 50 words a day, anything. It really does add up big time.

I'm not sure I agree. You've missed the 3rd point the author made: Build feedback loops

Sure you can procrastinate or eat that bag of chips - if your system sucks, then your system sucks.

His last sentence: 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. Committing to the process is what makes the difference.

If you are a procrastinator, how will goals help? Everytime you miss your goal, wouldn't you just push off to next week / month / year?

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