"Goals are for vision and filtration.

Systems are for habits and action."

I always love a good @dankoe tweet.

In fact, I liked this one so much, I decided to dissect it.

I think it’s very important for you all to understand… this is how you achieve massive success in life and work.

But how do you create and balance both?

It’s simple, but hard at the same time.

Here’s the easiest way to do it (that I’ve found).

1. Use the SMART framework for goals:

Specific: Define the goal clearly
Measurable: Set criteria to track progress
Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic
Relevant: Align the goal with the mission
Time-bound: Establish a deadline for the goal

SMART Breakdown: @rajeshshuklnia

2. Use the HABIT framework for systems:

Habit: Develop a routine behavior
Actionable: Make the behavior easy to do
Beneficial: Provide a reward for the behavior
Iterative: Review and improve the behavior
Trackable: Record and monitor the behavior
Habit Loop Framework: @bestselfco @cduhigg @nireyal

3. Use the OODA loop for feedback (to measure if it’s working):

Observe: Gather information about the situation. Progress, challenges, feedback, and results

Orient: Analyze and interpret the information. Identify any gaps between your goals/systems and the reality.

Decide: Choose a course of action. Adjusting your goals or systems, or creating new ones.

Act: Execute the action and observe the results. Observe the outcomes.

Remember:

Goals and systems are complementary and interdependent.

You need both to succeed.




A few additional thoughts re. Goals and Systems.

Start with why.

Define your purpose, values, and mission. This will help you set meaningful and relevant goals that inspire you.

Break down your goals.

Chunk your big goals into smaller and more manageable sub-goals. This will help you track your progress and celebrate your wins.

Build your systems.

Design your processes and routines that support your sub-goals. This will help you automate your actions and optimize your results.

Measure your systems.

Track your inputs and outputs of your systems. This will help you evaluate your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Iterate your systems.

Experiment with different approaches and methods to achieve your sub-goals. This will help you learn from your feedback and adapt to changing circumstances.

Why are we so bad at speaking to each other?

When I first started podcasting, I was forced into high-level conversations, constantly.

I realized very quickly that I was conditioned to approach each conversation like a tennis match.

Guest asked a question, I responded.

Back and forth. Serve and return.

Shallow questions, shallow responses.

No depth or value in each chat.

This is the sad truth of how most of us communicate.

We listen to respond, not to understand.

“Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.” - Dean Jackson

The higher quality your listening/communication skills, the better you are in:

• Sales
• Relationships
• Leadership
• Life in general

Net take away. It's important and we all (aka. most of us) suck at it.

I've gotten a lot better. It hasn't been easy, but these are 5 of my favorite frameworks that have helped me listen better and changed how I think about communication.

1. The Ladder of Inference (Bias).

We often jump to conclusions when communicating without considering all the facts and assumptions that influence our thinking.

This lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and poor decisions.

Source: Designing Regenerative Cultures

To avoid this, we need to climb DOWN the ladder of inference and examine each step of our reasoning process.

This is a deadly ladder that leads to massive bias and serious limits amazing communication and conversation.

2. The Five Whys.

This is a simple way to go deeper.

Ask "why" (5 times) until you find the root cause of a problem or question.

- It reveals hidden assumptions and beliefs.
- It avoids superficial solutions.

Be curious and non-judgmental and keep pressing until you get to where you need to be.

3. Affective Frame

A strategy teachers use with students.

When you're aware of why you're invested in the conversation, you'll care more (and you'll listen better).

We can drift and lose focus - especially in longer conversations (regardless of our how good our intentions were going in).

Constantly bring yourself back to the motivation you had for starting the conversation in the first place.

You'll notice that it's easier to pay attention for extended periods of time.

4. Signal vs. Noise:

Signal: The core message or idea that you want to convey or receive.

Noise: Anything that distracts, confuses, or dilutes the signal.

We're not just bad at listening, we're also bad at conveying our own thoughts.

This leads to conversation chaos.

- Be clear and concise.
- Use simple words and sentences.
- Avoid jargon and filler words.

This will allow the other party to easily focus on one idea/topic at a time.

Compounded (multi-point) questions or convoluted thoughts lead to messy and prolonged back and forth.

5. The Pareto Principle.

We do not need to cover every single topic that's relevant every single time we communicate.

Pareto principle tells us that 80% of the results come from 20% of the activities, tasks or ideas.

Source: @PeterLBrandt

As communicators - we have a bad habit of re-hashing 80% of the items that really produce 20% of the results, as opposed to the inverse.

This happens because the 20% that does the 80% is the difficult work, the hardest activities, the deepest, most thought provoking questions.

***

Remember. Time is limited.

We only have so many hours and minutes in a day to communicate with others in order to get the thing done.

- Spend time discussing the hardest parts of the project.
- Have the uncomfortable conversation.
- Ask the questions no one else will ask.

That's how you make each conversation count.




Most people think they've mastered listening because we have two ears.

Wrong.

Listening is not a passive act; it's a skill.

It’s a muscle that needs regular exercise.

Neglect it, and it weakens. Train it, and it strengthens.

Practice listening. Put in the reps.

Ever stumbled upon an idea that just doesn't make sense... until it suddenly does?

Paradoxes.

On the surface, they seem illogical - two ideas that contradict each other.

When you dig deeper -> surprising wisdom.

I really went down the rabbit hole this week. The Hedonism Paradox:

We all chase pleasure.

But the relentless pursuit can leave us less satisfied.

It's like overindulging in your favorite meal until it loses its allure.

Balance, not excess, heightens joy.

The AI Uprising is Here.

Are You Ready to Defend Your Career?

Let's start with the 3 keys:
• Curiosity/Creativity
• Originality
• Perpetual Learning • Curiosity/Creativity

Always be curious.

Creativity requires curiosity.

Curious people think creatively.

When you're in this mindset, you can tackle the next 6 creative skills you need to master to successfully keep your job (so you don't get replaced by Skynet).

Influencing and presenting is hard as hell.

After years of struggling to find my voice, I finally learned how to influence others.

It was life changing.

I wrote down the 10 most important influence lessons that empowered me.

Hopefully they help you too: Influence Lesson 1: Adopt an empowered mindset.

Believe in your worth. Lift others up. Share your perspective. Confidence is a practice.

The 4 quarter method - the most useful framework I've found for resilience when life throws you curveballs.

Slice your day into 4 segments:

• Morning: Prepare
• Late Morning: Produce
• Afternoon: Polish
• Evening: Unwind

Define an intention for each quarter. Morning primes you for success.

Late morning for deep work when you're sharpest. Knock out top priorities.

Afternoon brings a reset to course correct based on the day's rhythms.

Evening quarter for mandatory renewal. Protect time for yourself.

Each quarter compartmentalizes mishaps so setbacks don't ruin your whole day. They provide mental reset buttons when things go awry.

The quarters give your day shape without rigidity. Remain flexible to adapt as needed.

Schedule focused work for your peak energy times. Refuel with rest to sharpen cognitive performance.

Brain studies show activities like meditation enhance mental reset between quarters.

Your mindset matters most. Each quarter offers a fresh start if earlier ones go poorly.

The goal is to bring full presence to whatever the moment holds, not just cram in more tasks.

The quarters provide a scaffolding - not a straightjacket.

Stay nimble but structure time intentionally.

Mindset matters most.

Each quarter = a fresh start if earlier ones go sideways. The four quarters parallel the ultradian rhythm research showing our energy/focus naturally oscillates in 90-120 minute cycles.

We operate best with activity followed by recovery.

The quarters essentially leverage our innate biological rhythms.

How did Freud and Schopenhauer solve human connection with hedgehogs?

The Hedgehog Dilemma is one of the most powerful relationship tools I've found.

After I learnt about this, i'll never look at relationships the same way again. 👇 Picture this: Hedgehogs seeking warmth in the winter but they have to maintain distance to avoid each other's spines.

Who are the hedgehogs?

They're us, creatures seeking both closeness and autonomy at the same time.