Scott Adams Breaks Down Why Systems Beat Goals Every Time

I've become a big believer in focusing on systems over goals (see here and here). I became familiar with the concept by reading Scott Adams, the creator of the comic strip Dilbert, who puts it this way,

​I talk about using systems instead of goals. For example, losing ten pounds is a goal (that most people can’t maintain), whereas learning to eat right is a system that substitutes knowledge for willpower.
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Expanding on that point, let’s say you have a choice between pasta and a white potato. Assume you enjoy both foods equally and you want to choose the best one for your waistline. Which do you pick?

I recently posed that question to a crowd of ninety senior managers at a huge tech company. About 88 of them chose the potato. That’s the wrong answer because pasta is only half as high on the glycemic index. The two people out of ninety who knew pasta was the better choice wouldn’t need to use as much willpower later in the day to stay within a good diet range. Studies have shown that if you use your willpower resisting one temptation you have less in reserve for the next. The systems approach to weight management is to gradually replace willpower with knowledge, e.g. knowing pasta is better than a potato.

It's a brilliant way to set your life on a path that will lead you to success. After all, there is no "there" to get to. So goals, even if accomplished, just put you back at square one. Once you're done with one goal, you're back in a state of "pre-success failure" as Scott Adams puts it. 

Here's a good video where Scott Adams breaks down exactly how much more powerful systems are then goals. I highly recommend implementing this in your life.