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Hey, everyone.
Welcome back to Podcast and Chill.
I'm Leo.
And I'm Gwen.
How are you feeling today?
We hope you're still doing well and ready to learn something new with us.
Leo, I want to ask you something.
Have you ever felt like it's hard to handle work, study, health, family, and your hobbies?
Oh, wow, yes, all the time.
I feel like I'm always trying to do everything but never really doing well at anything.
That's exactly what I thought.
And here's another question.
Why do so many people set goals but still can't reach them?
Hmm, maybe because we give up too easily?
I know I do that a lot.
Right?
And do you ever feel like days just pass by and you're tired but feel like you haven't done much?
Story of my life.
I go to bed thinking, what did I actually do today?
It's annoying.
And it's like every new year, I make a big list.
I'll go to the gym three times a week.
I'll eat healthy.
I'll learn a new language.
Then what?
Two weeks later, back to pizza and old habits.
And the time feels like it's running fast, but still no change.
I think many of our listeners feel the same way, Leo.
But here's the good news.
It's not because you're lazy or weak.
The problem is not only with goals.
The real problem is with the system.
A system like a robot system?
Not exactly.
A system means your daily habits, your plan, things around you, all the things that help you move toward your goal step by step.
Ah, I see.
So it's not about screaming, this year I will change my life.
It's about building something that can help change happen.
And that's why today we'll talk about how to build systems to actually reach your goals before 2025 ends.
Oh, that sounds much better.
Because honestly, my 2024 goals are still waiting for me and I'm done feeling tired all the time.
Perfect.
So, let's start with something that might change how you think about reaching your goals.
Hold on, Gwen.
I want to ask you something first.
We are talking about goals, big goals here.
But many people give up quickly.
Why does that happen?
Let me ask you back.
What usually happens when you try to reach a goal?
Well, I get excited at first.
I make a plan, like, yes, this year I'll go to the gym every day.
But after a week, my body hurts, work gets busy, and goodbye gym.
Uh-huh.
And you probably think, I just need to try harder, or I need more motivation, right?
Yeah, I always blame myself for not trying harder or something like that.
That's the challenge, Leo.
People only use motivation.
Motivation feels so strong in the beginning, like something new and exciting.
But then, after some time, the energy goes down and life makes it hard for you.
Yep, that.
Suddenly, I'm sitting on the sofa with chips saying, tomorrow I'll try again.
And then tomorrow becomes next week, next month, and the goal disappears.
But don't worry.
It's not you, Leo.
The real problem here is the way you're doing it.
Most people try to run only on willpower and motivation.
But those things are like batteries.
They run out.
So now what?
Do we just need bigger batteries?
No.
The answer is systems thinking.
Systems thinking?
That sounds very serious.
Like something in science.
It's actually very simple.
Systems thinking means you shouldn't just try harder.
Instead, build small habits that work together like parts of a machine parts of a machine, so everything moves smoothly.
Yeah, let me give you an example.
Think about brushing your teeth.
You don't need motivation every night.
You just do it because it's part of your system.
True.
I never say, Oh no, I don't feel motivated to brush my teeth today.
I just do it.
That's the point.
We need to make learning or working become habits we do without thinking, just like brushing teeth.
Okay, but how do I build that system?
Now let's use English learning as an example.
If you say, I will study three hours every night, it sounds too hard.
You'll give up fast.
Yeah, three hours feels like too much.
But if you break it into small parts, it feels lighter.
Small parts?
Like Lego blocks?
Yes.
Lego blocks.
Instead of saying, I'll study three hours every night, you break it into smaller parts.
I'll study for 30 minutes after work, right at the office before going home.
Ooh, that makes sense.
Or review for 15 minutes on the bus every morning and maybe study for two hours on the weekend.
That's how it works.
Each block is small, but when you connect them, they build into something big and strong.
Exactly.
You put together these small habits into one system.
You fit them into your daily habits, after work, during travel, on weekends.
You don't have to fight with yourself every day.
You already know when or where to study.
That actually sounds easier than what I usually do.
Like, the system is working for me, not against me.
You got it.
And this idea works for everything, not just English.
If you want to get fit, put your workout clothes near your bed so you see them first thing in the morning.
Because of this system, it happens every day.
Even if you don't feel motivated, you still do it.
Wait, so you're saying I don't need to be super motivated all the time?
No.
The truth is, motivation is never enough.
On our worst days, it simply goes away.
So how are you going to do it, right?
Oh, yeah.
On bad days, I just want to lie down and watch TV.
And that's completely normal, Leo.
You don't need to be stronger.
You just need to organize your life to make things easier.
Wow, that feels nice.
So it's not about fighting harder.
It's about making smarter plans.
And once you start thinking in systems, you'll see.
Getting better doesn't stop when motivation is gone.
The system helps you keep going.
Now I'm curious, Gwen.
How do we actually think in systems?
Good question.
It's not enough to just say, I have a system.
We need to know how to build it the right way.
Ah, like building a house.
You don't just throw bricks anywhere.
You need to follow steps or the house will fall down.
And systems thinking also has some rules to follow.
Rules?
Oh no, sounds important.
How many do we need?
Not too many.
I'll keep it simple.
And you can use them for study, work, and even daily life.
Alright then, I'm ready.
Let's begin with rule number one.
Think of the big picture.
Big picture?
Like looking at life from far away?
Like a map, something like that.
It means don't only look at today.
Try to see your goal from all sides.
Ask yourself questions like what could stop me if i fail?
What would be the reason?
What problems might i face?
Now that sounds like planning for problems before they happen correct, And if you can see problems early, you can fix them before they start.
Can you give me an example?
Sure.
Many people want to study at night after work, right?
But at that time, they are already too tired.
So the real problem here is not English.
The real problem is lack of sleep and low energy.
If I always fail because I don't get enough sleep, then the answer is not more coffee.
I need to sleep better, and it means making sleep part of the system.
Exactly.
That's why thinking about everything is so important.
Alright, big picture.
What's the rule number two?
Rule number two.
Create a system you can use many times.
You mean like copy and paste, huh?
Well, close to that.
Many people create systems that only work when life is perfect.
But life is not perfect.
You need a system that works even when you feel tired, busy, or stressed.
It should help you use less willpower and motivation.
But how?
Let me tell you about someone I know.
She's an accountant.
She works every day, but she wanted to study for a new certificate.
Whoa!
When I'm tired after work, I can't even cook dinner.
That's exactly what she thought at first.
Her mistake was trying to study after coming home when she was already tired.
Yeah, after a long day at work, who has energy to study?
Not to mention her office is so far from home that by the time she got back she had no energy or time left.
But thank goodness.
She realized try harder was not her answer.
It was to make things easier.
And how did she make it easier?
Well, she started studying for 30 minutes right at the office after work.
Then she went home and finally could rest.
Oh, so she didn't have to go home, get distracted, and then force herself to study later.
That's right.
She removed the things that made studying hard.
It makes the habits easier to keep.
Okay, what's next?
Rule number three, and the last one, is to stop using quick fixes that don't solve the real problem.
Now, what do you mean by that?
It means stop using things that make you feel better for a short time, because they don't really fix the cause.
That's like trying to fix a broken chair with tape.
Exactly.
Imagine you always feel sleepy at work, so you take a nap or drink lots of coffee.
That's just tape, a quick fix.
It helps for one or two hours, but the real problem is poor sleep at night.
A real system is to change your night habit so you can sleep better and wake up fresh.
That makes more sense.
Another example is that some people use the pomodoro method.
Po-mo-what?
Tomato?
No pomodoro.
But yeah, it means tomato in Italian.
It's a simple trick to help you work for 25 minutes, then you take a short break for 5.
Many people use it to stay focused.
Hmm, sounds fun.
Well, it is useful, but again, it's still a quick fix.
You need to train yourself to focus for longer, not just fix it with a timer.
So basically, there's no quick fix.
You must fix the real problem, not just the outside of it.
Yes.
Real change is not fix here, fix there.
Real change must be part of your system, not just quick tips.
And that creates real change that stays.
Don't hide the problem.
Just fix it completely.
I like how you said that, Leo.
Thank you.
Sometimes my brain works.
The most important thing to remember is that change is never easy.
But being stuck forever feels even worse.
Yeah, that's true, but also a little scary.
Like, normal people can really do this.
Obviously.
This is for everyone.
Students, workers, parents.
Is that what you're worried about?
That it might not work for everyone?
Not exactly.
Well, I used to feel that way until I tried it myself.
Maybe it will help if I share my own story.
Oh, yes, please.
Tell us, Leo.
I think our listeners will connect more if they hear your experience.
Okay, so there was a time when I tried to live only with willpower.
During the day, I worked full-time.
At night, I forced myself to work on side projects, and after that, I still wanted to exercise.
Wow, that sounds like too much already.
I know, right?
And do you know what the result is?
No.
What happened?
I was tired, stressed, and nothing felt complete.
Work was weak, projects were not finished, and exercise was painful.
I remember one time around 8pm I tried to write a report for my side project, but I was so tired I couldn't think clearly.
So I thought, the report can wait, I'll just do my workout.
But then I just sat on my couch, doing nothing.
Oh, Leo, I know that feeling.
It's like your brain just hits a wall, right?
Yeah, and honestly, I felt like a failure because I couldn't keep up.
Well, people believe goals are about willpower only, but it's like a phone battery.
You can use it, but it drains fast.
By that time of night, it's completely empty.
Exactly.
I told myself, come on, Leo, get up.
But my body didn't listen.
I just stayed on the couch.
And when I did get up, what did I do?
I just went to bed and scrolled Instagram till I fell asleep.
It's okay, Leo.
We all have those nights.
That feeling is why you needed a system, isn't it?
Yeah, everything changed when I built small systems.
I started writing in the morning, just 30 minutes before work.
I moved my workouts to late afternoon, light training, nothing crazy.
I stopped fighting with myself at night.
And how did that feel?
It was amazing.
I'm not even joking.
I could finally finish things.
I wrote more.
I exercised more.
And I felt like I'm doing well.
That's the power of a system.
It saves your energy.
You don't waste time asking, when should I write?
When should I run?
You already know.
Right.
And let me add this.
If I had continued with only willpower, I would have quit a long time ago.
But the system kept me going.
This is so important for our listeners.
If you are listening right now and thinking, but I'm tired already.
I don't know if I can change.
Let me tell you something.
You can. and maybe you will feel a little uncomfortable at first.
Change always feels hard in the beginning.
But trust me, it's the good kind of hard.
It's like learning to ride a bike.
You fall, you get hurt, but you try again and the feeling of taking back control of the bike feels so good.
That's a nice way to say it.
You work a little now, but the system helps you for a long time.
You can change your system if it doesn't work.
Maybe you plan to study for 30 minutes after dinner, but you just want to relax after a long day.
So, you move your study time to the afternoon when you have more energy and focus.
The point is to create a routine you can follow without making yourself too tired.
And systems are not about being perfect either.
They're about doing things every day.
Even if you miss a day, the system helps you start over the next day.
Listeners, if a guy like me can build systems, you can too.
Ha ha ha.
Now that's the spirit, Leo.
So let's close today's talk and remind our listeners what system thinking really means.
We learned that systems thinking means making simple habits that work by themselves, instead of depending only on willpower and motivation.
We talked about the three main rules.
See the whole picture, build systems that you can use every day, and stop using quick fixes.
If you keep these three ideas in mind, you will see how easy improving can be.
And here's our final message for you, dear listener.
Systems thinking doesn't ask you to do more.
It helps you live in an easier and kinder way.
You don't need to rush.
Start with just one small step.
Even one little change can create a new routine in your life.
Building that system takes time.
Just give yourself some time.
With that in mind, we want to say thank you for spending your time with us today.
We know life can be busy, so it means a lot that you chose to stay and listen.
We hope our stories and tips make you feel better and braver.
Remember, you can always build a system to make your life easier.
Thanks for chilling with us.
This is Podcast and Chill.
I'm Leo.
And I'm Gwen.
See you in the next episode.
Hey, I'm Paige DeSorbo and I'm always thinking about underwear.
I'm Hannah Berner and I'm also thinking about underwear, but I prefer full coverage.
I like to call them my granny panties.
Actually, I never think about underwear.
That's the magic of Tommy John.
Same.
They're so light and so comfy.
And if it's not comfortable, I'm not wearing it.
And the bras, soft, supportive, and actually breathable.
Yes, Lord knows the girls need to breathe.
Also, I need my PJs to breathe and be buttery, soft and stretchy enough for my dramatic tossing and turning at night.
That's why I live in my Tommy John pajamas.
Plus, they're so cute because they fit perfectly.
Put yourself on to Tommy John.
Upgrade your drawer with Tommy John.
Save 25% for a limited time at TommyJohn.com slash comfort.
See site for details.
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