Willpower is Overrated

It’s a common misconception that successful people are more disciplined or have more willpower than the average person. The truth is, they don’t — they build systems to make hard things easier to do.

Winging it may sometimes seem like the quickest and easiest way to get things done — but in reality, it is often the least effective and efficient method. When you wing it, you are working without a plan or system, and this can lead to mistakes, wasted time and resources, and frustration. On the other hand, following a step-by-step system (even for something you know how to do) will make things go more smoothly.

I find having a system reduces the amount of friction around getting started. Having a set process to follow means less guesswork making it is easier to get going. It can also reduce cognitive load because all the steps are laid out and you don’t have to think about what needs to be done next. This is especially helpful when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.

I use systems in all of my work, whether it is logo design, website design, user experience design/consulting, brand messaging, you name it. Without them, I’d be paralyzed in terms of where to begin and what to do next. Things would be so much harder and take so much longer… I’d also be exhausted and stressed out!

What can you systemize to make your life easier? What systems do you sort of already have but maybe have not documented? 🤔

ICYMI, here is my system for consistently publishing daily content.