Systems Drive Consistent Action and Personal Evolution - Episode Hero Image

Systems Drive Consistent Action and Personal Evolution

My First Million · · Listen to Original Episode →
Original Title:

TL;DR

  • Systems are crucial for achieving goals, as they provide a predictable framework that removes emotional variability and ensures consistent action toward desired outcomes.
  • Reminders are significantly undervalued tools for personal and professional growth, often more effective than new strategies because they reinforce known principles.
  • Change is unnatural and requires deliberate effort; inertia is the default, making systems essential for overcoming resistance and driving personal evolution.
  • Identifying the true underlying feeling desired from a goal is more critical than the goal itself, as chasing the wrong feeling leads to perpetual dissatisfaction.
  • Memorable communication, whether in business or personal life, relies on catchy, repeatable phrases and structures that resonate with the brain's preference for order and pattern recognition.
  • Focusing on building capabilities within an organization, rather than just executing specific business ideas, allows for greater agility and the realization of diverse opportunities.
  • The "food noise" or mental chatter around desires can be significantly reduced by interventions like GLP-1 medications, which also dampen other addictive impulses.
  • The most impactful way to give back is through direct, local contributions that create tangible positive effects, fostering a sense of connection and purpose.

Deep Dive

The core argument is that achieving goals and enacting meaningful change hinges not on ambition or desire, but on the deliberate creation and consistent application of robust systems. This emphasis on systems provides a framework for understanding personal and professional growth, revealing that true progress is a consequence of repeatable processes rather than fleeting motivation or sporadic effort, thereby shifting the focus from outcomes to the underlying mechanics that produce them.

The discussion highlights how the absence of systems leads to stagnation, as individuals default to inertia and emotional responses rather than structured action. This is illustrated through the concept of a five-year journal, where year-over-year entries reveal a consistent pattern of complaining about the same issues, underscoring that change is unnatural and requires intentional effort. The power of systems is further demonstrated by comparing business growth, where scaling from $10 million to $100 million is often attributed to systems and hiring, to personal life, where consistent adherence to a plan, like a fitness regimen or a sales script, yields predictable results. This principle is encapsulated by the idea that "we fall to the level of our systems," meaning our actions are dictated by our automated behaviors, not our lofty goals.

Moreover, the importance of reminders and repetition is stressed, particularly in contrast to seeking novel strategies. The analogy of training an employee or coaching a basketball team shows that repeated instruction and consistent messaging are crucial for internalization, far more so than introducing new information. This is evident in the basketball coach's emphasis on drilling "play off two feet" or establishing a "max effort" standard, which requires constant reinforcement until the behavior becomes ingrained, even among the players themselves. This principle extends to organizational communication, where repeating core values or priorities until they are organically adopted by the team signifies successful implementation. The concept of "earworms" and memorable slogans, drawing parallels to marketing and political rhetoric, illustrates how carefully crafted, repeatable phrases can embed ideas effectively, making them sticky and actionable.

Finally, the conversation delves into the underlying "blueprint" of what one truly wants, suggesting that systems must be aligned with genuine desires, not superficial goals. The pursuit of feelings associated with achievements, rather than the achievements themselves, is identified as a key driver. This leads to the exploration of "second mountain" problems, where individuals who have achieved initial success face the challenge of identifying new, meaningful pursuits. The discussion of becoming a basketball coach, embracing video as the "native tongue of the internet," or even the concept of a "local economy" driven by "smiles per hour," all point to a shift towards contribution and impact over personal accumulation. This reorientation suggests that the most profound growth comes from externalizing one's efforts, focusing on what can be built and shared, and finding fulfillment in the process of creation and contribution, rather than solely in personal gain.

Action Items

  • Create a 5-year journaling system: Track recurring themes in personal reflections to identify areas for intentional change.
  • Implement a reminder system: Schedule weekly review of key personal or professional goals to reinforce desired behaviors.
  • Design a "max effort" standard: Define a clear, measurable benchmark for a single critical behavior to drive consistent performance.
  • Develop a core team identity: Establish 1-3 memorable, actionable values that team members can articulate and embody.
  • Build a capability-focused organization: Identify and acquire 3-5 core operational capabilities to enable rapid idea execution.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"I have complained about the same stuff for 10 or 15 years and I have previous journals where I've I look back and I'm like I've complained about the same things... I've concluded a few things one humans don't change actually changes let me rephrase that I've concluded that change is unnatural change is not natural like it's it's inertia is natural yeah right inertia is the default."

Sam Parr explains that reviewing his past journals reveals a pattern of recurring complaints and challenges. Parr concludes that change is unnatural, and inertia, or the tendency to remain in a current state, is the default human condition. This suggests that actively working against inertia is necessary for personal growth.

"The difference between 10 million and a hundred million year business often times is systems... the moments that I've changed the most in my life is when I've had a system and this a good system what it does it makes it more predictable by taking away how you feel at the moments the way that you feel on any moment should have nothing to do with the actions that you take to get you to the goals that you've set."

Sam Parr draws a parallel between business growth and personal change, identifying systems as a key differentiator. Parr argues that effective systems remove the influence of emotions on decision-making, making progress toward goals more predictable and less dependent on fluctuating feelings.

"We don't rise to the level of our goals we fall to the level of our systems... you don't become what you want you don't become your potential that's for sure you become what we regular you know you become what you regularly do."

Shaan Puri references a principle from "Atomic Habits," emphasizing that success is determined by established systems rather than aspirational goals. Puri explains that individuals consistently perform based on their ingrained habits and automated behaviors, not their desired outcomes or potential.

"The biggest takeaway I don't change like what do you mean like your habits what you're doing or how you feel I have complained about the same stuff for 10 or 15 years and I have previous journals where I've I look back and I'm like I've complained about the same things."

Sam Parr reflects on his journaling practice, noting that a review of past entries reveals a consistent pattern of the same complaints over many years. Parr's observation highlights a lack of significant personal change in certain areas, suggesting a need for more effective strategies to break these recurring issues.

"The reason why I love business is because it kind of teaches you a little bit about life and what I'm learning about my own life is that the moments that I've changed the most in my life is when I've had a system and this a good system what it does it makes it more predictable by taking away how you feel at the moments the way that you feel on any moment should have nothing to do with the actions that you take to get you to the goals that you've set."

Sam Parr connects business principles to personal development, asserting that systems are crucial for driving significant life changes. Parr explains that a well-designed system creates predictability by decoupling actions from immediate feelings, thereby ensuring consistent progress toward established goals.

"You want that you want some new answer because you're like maybe I was just missing the thing and I actually know it's because I didn't internalize the thing the answer that was already on my plate right and that reminders like you said are extremely undervalued to the point where not only are reminders undervalued they're sort of discriminated against."

Shaan Puri argues that people often seek novel solutions when the real need is to internalize existing knowledge through reminders. Puri criticizes the underestimation and even dismissal of reminders, suggesting that their importance in reinforcing known principles is frequently overlooked.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • Atomic Habits by James Clear - Mentioned as the source for the quote "we don't rise to the level of our goals we fall to the level of our systems."
  • Creativity Inc. - Mentioned as a book discussing Pixar's "brain trust" process for feedback.
  • Endurance by Ernest Shackleton - Mentioned as a book detailing Shackleton's arduous journey and his job posting.

Articles & Papers

  • "Men wanted for hazardous journey" (Ernest Shackleton's job posting) - Referenced as an example of a job posting for a difficult undertaking.

People

  • Aristotle - Quoted regarding the concept of habits: "we are what we what we do repeatedly."
  • Dwight - Mentioned in relation to the role of "assistant to the regional manager."
  • Ed Catmull - Mentioned as the person who taught the Pixar method to Disney animation.
  • Ezra Bakker Trupiano - Credited for editing.
  • Gordon Bombay - Mentioned as a character from the movie Mighty Ducks who coaches a hockey team.
  • JFK - Quoted for the phrase "Ask not what your country can do for you..." and "let us never negotiate out of fear but let us never fear to negotiate."
  • Jocko - Mentioned as having a book about leadership with a story about Navy SEALs.
  • Max - Mentioned as a player who consistently plays with "max effort."
  • Mike Beckam - Mentioned as the founder of Simple Modern, discussing his approach to giving away money.
  • Suli - Mentioned as a friend and successful entrepreneur who discussed the importance of imagination.
  • Vinnie - Mentioned as a player on the basketball team who is also a mechanic.

Organizations & Institutions

  • Disney Animation - Mentioned in the context of its past failures and subsequent success after adopting Pixar's process.
  • Hampton - Mentioned as a company that provides peer groups for entrepreneurs.
  • HubSpot - Mentioned as the creator of the podcast and as a partner for a guide on using ChatGPT as a life coach.
  • Miami Heat - Mentioned as an example of a team with a strong identity ("heat culture").
  • NASA - Mentioned in a story about a janitor helping them get to the moon.
  • Navy SEALs - Mentioned in the context of leadership examples from military books.
  • New England Patriots - Mentioned as an example team for performance analysis.
  • Pixar - Mentioned for its successful "brain trust" feedback process.

Websites & Online Resources

  • https://www.joinhampton.com/ - Provided as the website for Hampton.
  • https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/ - Provided as a link for Ideation Bootcamp.
  • https://www.shaanpuri.com - Provided as a link to Shaan's weekly email.
  • https://copythat.com - Provided as a link for Copy That.
  • https://joinhampton.com/wealth - Provided as a link for the Hampton Wealth Survey.
  • http://samslist.co/ - Provided as a link for Sam's List.
  • https://www.somewhere.com/mfm - Provided as a link to hire worldwide talent.
  • mercury.com - Provided as a website for Mercury, a company bank.

Other Resources

  • Chiasmus - Explained as a sentence structure that is memorable and satisfying to the mind, with examples provided.
  • ChatGPT - Mentioned as a tool that can be used as a life coach.
  • GLP-1s - Mentioned in relation to their effect on reducing "food noise" and other addictions.
  • "Move fast and break things" - Mentioned as Facebook's former value.
  • "Max effort" - Introduced as a new standard for effort in basketball, derived from a player named Max.
  • "Play off two feet" - Described as a basketball technique that involves landing on both feet in the paint to maintain options.
  • "The sales evangelist" - Mentioned as a podcast hosted by Donald Kelly that features sales experts.
  • "Video is the native tongue of the internet" - A concept discussed regarding the importance of video communication online.

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