Better Systems for Success

Success can be defined as consistently achieving desired

results over time. And it follows that success is more

likely to come from orderly, productive, and effective

activities.



In the long-run, success depends on the balance between

chaos and systems in your life. The more order, structure,

discipline and routine in your life, and the more focused

you are on your goals, the more likely you will be

successful. Chaos, on the other hand, is the enemy of

success!



We just witnessed this in the Olympics, both with individual

competitors and in the Games themselves.



No one competes in the Olympics by accident. Olympic

athletes train and prepare every day for years. They work

with the best coaches and study the techniques of the best

competitors. They use computer animation, slow-motion

photography, and endless hours of practice to get the

smallest details just right.



During the Olympics I saw a special on the dining facilities

in the Olympic Village. Everyday, they prepared thousands of

meals precisely tailored to each athlete's specifications.

Some athletes wanted more protein, some more carbs. Others

focused on specific nutrients, while others need 10,000

calories a day to stay strong! Success at the Olympic level

depends on systems to get every detail just right!



And consider the games themselves. The timing of every event

was precise, sometimes to a thousandth of a second. Wind

speed was measured for the track and field events, water

temperature carefully controlled for the swimmers. Nothing

was left to chance!



Chaos is the enemy of success.



To achieve your goals, you need systems that are as complete

and well-designed as you can make them.



Every researcher, every manufacturing process, every

successful sales presentation requires organization. Every

attorney has a strategy and a system for winning her case.

Every doctor follows a precise process to get an accurate

diagnosis.



And yet we live in a society that values spontaneity and

impulse gratification. I suspect all human beings are drawn

to "bright shiny objects." We love the new and the novel. We

are easily distracted. As the poet wrote, "the best laid

plans of mice and men go oft astray."



Many of us actually resist self-discipline and order in our

lives. We want to adjust our schedule on a moment's notice.

There's a sense of excitement in our daily surprises. As

much as we want success, we also want to be "free" and

spontaneous, and that's wonderful. But it comes at a price.



Highly successful people develop and follow effective

systems. Would you want your doctor easily distracted or

trying something spontaneous in the middle of surgery? I

don't think so!



I encourage you to develop a system that works for your

personality, and in your circumstances. But, you must have

a system! It must help you focus. It must help you be clear

about your goals and consistent in your actions. It must

help you be productive and avoid mistakes.



I've studied many types of systems over the years, and I

encourage you to experiment. But you can't afford to

experiment endlessly! Don't claim you are "searching for the

best system" when in fact you are avoiding the structure and

routine of systems altogether. Find a "good enough" system

and put it to work!



If you need a more effective system, I highly recommend one

my friend and colleague, Michael Angier, has developed. It's

simple. It's powerful. And it's versatile enough to fit most

situations. He calls it "the three C's" and it revolves

around Clarity (of purpose or goals), Concentration (focused

effort), and Consistency (getting things done). It works!



If you already have a system, good! Reading and

understanding his system may strengthen the one you have.

And if you don't have an effective system, give this a try!



A financial note: I get no commission or fee of any kind if

you buy his book. Michael is a friend and I like to think

our discussions played a small role in helping him develop

the 3 C's, but I recommend it because (1) you need a system,

and (2) this one is simple enough to be useful and powerful

enough to be effective.



by Philip E. Humbert, PhD