Maybe You Shouldn’t Set Goals This Year... (And What to Do Instead) 🧠
Why Skipping Goal Setting Might Be the Secret to Success (6min Read)
TL;DR Summary:
Traditional goals often lead to overwhelm, procrastination, or perfectionism, especially for anxious achievers.
Systems—small, consistent habits—are brain-friendly and build long-term progress without pressure.
Focus on creating systems that align with your values, reward small wins, and rewire your brain for sustainable change.
What If Setting Goals Is Holding You Back?
What if I told you that setting goals—something we’ve been told is essential for success—might be the very thing keeping you stuck?
As the new year approaches, there’s an avalanche of pressure to set “big goals” for 2025.
And as I reviewed my 2024 goals this month, I realized that goal setting is a scam…
You know the cycle: You set ambitious goals, you start strong, and then life happens.
You miss a day, feel behind, and suddenly you’re avoiding the very thing you said you wanted.
Cue shame, guilt, and the “I’ll try harder next year” spiral.
I was directly in the middle of this cycle when I realized that it doesn’t have to be this way…
So, I asked myself, what’s the one thing that would ensure I never fell into this trap again?
And, of course, as always, the answer lies in neuroscience.
Your brain isn’t actually built to thrive on big, abstract goals.
It thrives on systems—small, consistent actions that rewire how you show up every day.
Today, I’ll explain why skipping goals in 2025 might be the best thing you can do for yourself and how systems can help you accomplish more with less stress.
Let’s dive in!
Why Traditional Goal Setting Fails (Especially for Anxious Achievers)
At first glance, setting goals seems productive.
“I want to get fit.” “I’ll double my income.” “I’ll write that book.”
But here’s the problem: Goals are destinations without clear pathways.
They live in the future, and your brain is wired to prioritize immediate rewards.
Big, abstract goals can trigger the amygdala, your brain’s fear center.
Your nervous system sees the gap between where you are now and where you want to be—and it panics.
This can lead to freeze responses (procrastination) or fight responses (perfectionism).
You’ll either avoid starting or push yourself to burnout trying to be perfect.
And if you’re anything like me, you pinball between the two, over and over…
For some people, it’s even harder.
I’ve worked with lots of “All or Nothing” Thinkers, it’s a common trait in anxious achievers, and for them, missing a milestone means the whole goal is a failure.
This often triggers more shame, guilt, fear, or avoidance.
So, instead of picking up where they left off, they quit altogether.
It’s wild, isn’t it? I mean really… Who ever sold us on this traditional goal-setting process anyway?!
It kind of sucks… So, here’s what I’m gonna do instead!
Systems vs. Goals: The Science of Consistency
Let’s redefine the game.
Goals are the outcome you want (e.g., “I want to run a marathon”).
Systems are the daily actions that make progress inevitable (e.g., “I will run for 15 minutes every morning”).
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, puts it this way:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Why Systems Work (From a Neuroscience Perspective)
Systems or habits are far superior to traditional goals from your brain’s perspective!
For starters, your brain’s reward system releases dopamine when you complete small, achievable tasks.
Systems focus on those tasks, making progress feel good.
Systems also reduce the cognitive load on your brain.
Instead of constantly thinking about “the big goal,” systems automate your actions.
This conserves mental energy and makes consistency MUCH easier.
Finally, and most importantly systems and daily habits change your identity.
Yes, you read that right.
Showing up daily for small actions rewires your brain’s self-image.
You stop thinking, “I want to write a book,” and start believing, “I am a writer.”
You’re probably thinking this sounds too good to be true, but I can assure you, dear reader, that is not the case.
Let’s break it down.
The Problem With Relying on Goals Alone
Let’s say your goal is to write a book in 2025.
Without a system, you might:
Feel overwhelmed by the scale of the project.
Avoid writing because “you’re not inspired.”
Judge yourself for not being productive enough.
Now, imagine you replaced that goal with a system: “I’ll write 200 words every day at 7 AM.”
It’s small enough to not feel overwhelming.
It reduces decision fatigue (you know when and what to do).
You get a dopamine hit for showing up—regardless of how “good” the writing is.
Over time, those 200 words add up to a finished book—without the stress or pressure of “having to finish a book.”
Sounds too simple to be true, doesn’t it?
I bet your brain is already trying to make it more complicated than it needs to be.
I feel you, I’m the same way!
Luckily, I’m a step ahead of that beautiful brain of yours.
Here’s exactly how to replace your goals with systems, step-by-step!
How to Replace Goals With Systems: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to skip goals and build systems instead? Here’s how in 5 simple steps.
Go through each of the 5 steps for each of your goals to shift them into systems and habits.
Goals to Systems Formula
Clarify Your Core Values:
Ask yourself, “Why does this matter to me?” Instead of chasing arbitrary goals, focus on what aligns with your life values.Turn Outcomes Into Processes:
Goal: “I want to be healthier.”
System: “I will walk for 20 minutes every morning.”
Make Systems Ridiculously Easy to Start:
Use the 2-Minute Rule: “I’ll do this for just 2 minutes.” The brain loves easy wins, and small actions build momentum.Track Consistency, Not Results:
Celebrate the fact that you showed up—every day or every week. Consistency rewires your brain far more effectively than chasing perfect results.Adjust and Evolve Your Systems Over Time:
Systems are flexible. If something isn’t working, tweak it. The goal is progress, not perfection.
I’m using this very formula right now to adjust my own 2025 goals into systems
Step 3 is especially important.
Complex systems can be just as damaging as traditional goals.
Make sure that each of your habits is so easy to start every day that it’d be laughable if you couldn’t complete it.
That could mean starting out with 1 single pushup, or reading 1 paragraph or sentence of a book.
Remember, these aren’t about achieving more, they’re about reshaping your identity into the kind of person who finishes things consistently!
Use ChatGPT
If you get stuck trying to go through these steps with your goals, I suggest using ChatGPT to help you!
Try pasting this prompt into it: “Hello, I’d like some help shifting my goals into systems using this 5-step process: [Paste the 5-Step Formula Here]
Here are my top 3-5 Goals for 2025 that I’d like to make into systems: [Paste Your Goals Here]
Can you help walk me through the 5-Step Formula, step-by-step by questioning me through each part until we’ve got a list of systems I can use in 2025, instead of just goals?”
This prompt will turn ChatGPT into your personal system creator!
Try it out, and let me know how it works for you.
I’m thinking about adding more prompts like this into these blogs to make them more useful for ya’ll!
Skip the Goals, Set Systems Instead
Now that you know the secret, take a minute and ask yourself, “What if 2025 wasn’t about setting big goals that overwhelm me?”
What if it was about building small systems that make progress feel easy, natural, and sustainable?
Here’s my challenge to you: Don’t set goals this year.
Instead, pick one system that aligns with who you want to become—and show up for it every day.
You might be surprised how far you’ll go when you stop focusing on the summit and start trusting the steps.
And, as always, until next time… Live Heroically 🧠
Supporting Research:
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.
Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.
Schultz, W. (2015). Neuronal reward and decision signals: From theories to data. Physiological Reviews, 95(3), 853–951.
Baumeister, R. F., & Tierney, J. (2012). Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength.