Rising to the Systems in Your Life: How Intentions Shape Success

In our journey we've explored the profound impact of intentions and how they shape our lives. In the first article, we discussed the Power of Intentions, emphasizing how setting clear, purposeful intentions acts as the compass guiding you toward your North Star. The second article focused on Embracing Intentional Living, where we examined how aligning daily actions with your intentions ensures consistent progress toward your goals. Now, in this third installment, we’ll explore how the systems in your life either support or hinder your success.

The Importance of Systems in Intentional Living

At its core, a system is a structured approach to turning your intentions into reality. According to the GMI formula, a system can be broken down into three essential components:

• Input: The resources, knowledge, and energy you bring into the system.
• Process (Recipe + Work): The method or approach (recipe) and the effort (work) you apply to transform inputs into meaningful actions.
• Output: The results or outcomes that emerge from the system.

Your intentions are the starting point—the input—that fuels the entire system. But having good intentions or ambitious goals isn't enough. To truly succeed, you need well-designed systems that efficiently convert those intentions into tangible results.

Falling to the Level of Your Systems

James Clear’s quote, "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems," underscores a fundamental truth: the quality of your life is directly tied to the quality of your systems. Whether it's your health, career, relationships, or personal growth, the systems you have in place will determine whether you succeed or fall short of your goals.

Consider something as simple as walking—a process we often take for granted. Walking is a system, an unconscious process that most of us rarely think about. However, if you're walking with poor posture or incorrect mechanics, you may suffer from pain or injury. This pain is a clear signal that the system needs refinement.

When I decided to improve my health by incorporating more walking into my routine, I encountered a problem: persistent pain in my ankles, lower legs and lower back. At first, I thought this was simply the price of getting back into shape. As it persisted it was time to do some research, and try to solve the problem. Ultimately, I retrained myself on how to walk by walking backward—to correct my posture and relieve the pain. This simple change in the system of how I walked led to a significant improvement in my health and well-being.

This example highlights a critical point: even the most basic systems in our lives can either support our intentions or work against them. If a system isn't serving you, it's time to question it, refine it, and align it with your intentions.

Building Systems that Serve Your Intentions

To build systems that truly serve your intentions, you must start by clearly defining your desired output—what success looks like for you. From there, work backward to determine the best inputs and processes needed to achieve that outcome.

1. Define Your Intention: What is the ultimate goal you're striving to achieve? Whether it's better health, financial success, or personal growth, your intention must be clear and compelling. This is the Quality Outcome/ Output you desire.
2. Evaluate Your Current Systems: Take a close look at the systems you currently have in place. Are they helping you move toward your goal, or are they holding you back? Be honest with yourself and identify any areas that need improvement.
3. Refine the Process: Just as a recipe is key to making a delicious meal, the process is crucial to achieving your goals. Consider the steps you're taking and whether they are the most effective way to reach your desired outcome. Don’t be afraid to try new approaches, especially if the current ones aren’t working.
4. Focus on Quality Inputs: The better the input, the more likely you are to achieve a high-quality output. This might mean investing in better resources, acquiring new knowledge, or increasing the energy and effort you put into your actions.
5. Measure Your Output: Finally, regularly assess the results of your systems. Are you getting closer to your goal? If not, it may be time to adjust the inputs or processes to better align with your intentions.

Lessons from Success Stories

Consider the stories of highly successful individuals like Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, and Steve Jobs. Despite coming from varied backgrounds and facing different challenges, they all rose to success by building systems that aligned with their strengths and intentions. These systems, whether in business, finance, or innovation, were carefully crafted, tested, and refined over time, ultimately leading to their monumental achievements.

The key takeaway here is that success isn't just about having great intentions—it's about having great systems that turn those intentions into reality.

Final Thoughts: Aligning Your Systems with Your North Star

At the Growth Myndset Initiative , we emphasize the importance of having a North Star—a guiding vision that motivates you to keep moving forward, even in the face of adversity. To rise to the level of your goals, your systems must be intentionally designed to support that vision.

So, as you continue your journey of personal and professional growth, take a moment to reflect on the systems in your life.

Are they helping you rise to the occasion, or are they causing you to fall short?

Remember, you have the power to redesign your systems, refine your processes, and ultimately rise to the level of your highest intentions.

Engage with Us

• Question for Reflection: What is one system in your life that isn’t currently serving your intentions, and how can you refine it to better align with your goals?