New year, same you, better system
Blue Monday. It’s the third Monday in January and (apparently) the most depressing day of the year. It’s the day when all the new-year-new-start optimism comes crashing down.
In the UK, some 80% of us will abandon our new year’s resolution before or around Blue Monday. Why? Because January 1st isn’t magical. A big shiny goal sounds great but if you’re relying on the same old you — your habits, your psychology, your triggers — then success isn’t likely.
Cliche time, but if it was easy you’d have done it by now …
In a football game, both sides want to win … yet the team that consistently practises the best in tactics, recruitment, coaching and leadership will most likely come out tops.
In other words, the winners and losers have exactly the same goal … but one side will be victorious and one won’t. It’s the system, the how-to, that makes the difference.
Being better with money is roughly third on a list of the UK’s most popular new year’s resolutions after diet and exercise. But all three of these goals require system / habit change if they’re to be successful and sustainable. All three require prep and space; we need to resist old urges and understand the emotional triggers that lead us to eat, or spend, or vegetate.
That’s why changing systems is vital. And those who focus on the system (not the outcome) will likely learn richer and more valuable life lessons along the way.
Read more about system here and why not breathe in the cracking podcast Why you should forget about setting goals.
But goals are shiny and habits are boring
Sure, goals are exciting. Anyone can get lost in the dream of a goal that’s as-yet-unrealised. Oh, the potential.
Establishing systems, or habits, is boring. System is just a fancy word for routine. But there are ways to jazz up a routine, whether it’s an old one or a new year’s resolution.
In 2023 you can keep the system interesting:
- Invite a friend to join you
- Add music, or people, or exciting new quirks
- Reward your wins (don’t scorn your losses)
- Join new groups of people with similar interests
- Consult with an expert, how do they do it?
- Use new media to inspire … here’s a TedTalk you might like
- Try smartphone apps to support your new habit
- Read more at the Happiness On blog
What are my goals for 2023?
Before setting goals, first think about this: do I have the right systems in place to bring goals to life?
We’ve borrowed the following questions from the Brain Food blog so you can evaluate your 2023 through a new lens:
- If I took over my life from scratch today, what would I immediately stop doing, and what would I immediately start doing?
- What do I want to spend more time on, and what do I want to spend less time on this year?
- Where am I waiting for another person to make the first move, and what can I do to go first?
- What can I do in the next week that’ll make the rest of the year easier? Oh and what can I do this year that’ll put me in a better position for 2024?
- Who do I spend time with that pulls me down and who do I spend time with that lifts me up?
Answer these questions and then think about the systems you need to ensure progress.
If weight loss is the goal, then a system of meal planning and batch cooking may be for you. If exercise is the goal you’ll need time and space to run or hit the gym. If saving money is the goal you may need to rethink your current spending habits.
System change is about creating space and opportunity — and making the odd sacrifice — to enable a habit. Nail a new system and you’ll not only hit some goals, you’ll learn a whole lot about who you are … and why you are.