3x3: On Setting Goals, Building Systems, and Accepting the Unexpected

Hi, it’s Tom.

This week, we’re breaking down what it takes to reach your goals.

Because you can’t hit a target you have not set, you can’t achieve goals without a system, and you can’t expect things to go exactly as planned!

Let’s dive in.

1. You Cannot Hit a Target You Have Not Set

If you do not define what you want, you will drift. It is that simple.

Imagine playing darts on a blank wall. Where do you aim? You just throw and hope for the best.

Most people live like this (and I used to live like this too). They "try" to get in shape, make more money, or improve their life. But without specific goals, there is no direction. No clear aim. And as a result, no real progress.

A goal forces clarity. It turns vague desires into something measurable and achievable. And if you realize your results are not great, that’s still a good thing. It confirms that tracking your progress was overdue.

Yes, it might be disappointing at first, but that’s exactly why you need to start. Regardless of where you are now.

Question: If success was guaranteed in one area of your life, what goal would you commit to? Be specific.

2. Systems Create Results, Not Goals Alone

A goal without a system is just a wish. And I have nothing against wishes, but my experience taught me that they are just distractions.

That’s why we need systems. They are the real difference-maker.

A system builds confidence. It removes self-doubt because you know exactly what to do next. It also keeps you on track when the first results take longer than expected. Because once you trust your system, you stop second-guessing yourself.

And once momentum kicks in, progress compounds. Small wins turn into massive results.

Question: What system can you commit to for the next three months? Pick one and start today.

3. Achieving Goals Takes Time and Will Not Go As Planned

No goal unfolds exactly as we imagined. That’s okay. We need to be prepared for this.

Most people expect growth to be linear, but it’s exponential.

That’s why people give up. They expect results to match their effort in real time, but that’s not how it works.

Life is fair in some ways and unfair in others. You just need to know which.

The mistake is expecting progress to happen a certain way and within a certain time. But reality is always different, and resisting it, is just wasted energy.

Thinking there is one "right way" to get there is misleading. Progress is messy. Plans change. Obstacles appear. The sooner you accept this and, more importantly, adapt, the sooner you free yourself to keep going.

What matters is not how long it takes or whether it follows your original plan.

What matters is that you keep moving forward.

Question: What goal have you abandoned in the past that’s worth revisiting today with the experience you have gained?

Final Thought

A goal gives you direction. A system gives you momentum.
And embracing the unexpected gives you the freedom to keep going.

We are mid-February now. The year is still long and you have time to restart, adjust, and achieve what you set out to do.

Start small. Do not give up and you’ll be a different person sooner than you think!

À la prochaine,
Tom

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