You Don’t Rise to the Level of Your Goals. You Fall to the Level of Your Systems.

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”—James Clear

That quote has stayed with me for years. And with each passing season of working alongside CEOs of nonprofits, colleges, and small businesses, I’ve come to believe it names one of the most truths a leader can embrace.

Most leaders I work with are gritty, visionary, and purpose-driven. They’re setting goals, rallying teams, and fighting to make their organizations grow.

But here’s what I’ve found: it’s not their goals that are holding them back.

It’s their systems.

Setting a Goal is Not the Same as Making Progress

Goal-setting is important. It gives direction, focus, and hope. It’s how we cast vision and build buy-in.

But goals can also create a dangerous illusion: the illusion that setting a goal is the same as making progress. It’s not.

• A nonprofit might set a goal to increase donor retention by 15%.

• A college president might aim to enroll 100 more students this year.

• A business owner might target $1M in new revenue.

Those are good goals. But without systems, they’re just well-dressed wishes. And in my extensive work with businesses and nonprofits, I’ve seen dump truck loads of well-dressed wishes. In fact, I might go so far as to rank this problem ahead of all others.

You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

To Reach Your Goals, You Need a Repeatable Process

When I use the word “systems,” some people assume I’m talking about software platforms or operations manuals. That’s not what I mean.

A system is a repeatable structure that produces a consistent result over time. It’s the process behind the progress. And without strong systems, even the best goals will collapse under pressure.

In my consulting work, I help leaders think about three categories of systems:

1. Overarching Systems

These systems tie together everything an organization does—its mission, messaging, operations, team structure, and revenue strategy. They act as the operating framework that keeps the organization focused, healthy, and aligned.

I use a framework called Small Business Flight Plan to help my clients install these systems. It’s simple, but incredibly effective. It gets everything out of their head and into a structure that works—one that can be taught, measured, and refined over time.

Overarching systems answer the question: How does this organization function as a whole?

2. Pinpoint Systems

These systems focus on one critical area—like marketing, enrollment, sales, donor follow-up, or internal communication. A great example is StoryBrand: it’s a system that helps organizations clarify their messaging so their audience actually listens—and acts.

Pinpoint systems are especially useful when one part of the organization is underperforming. Rather than throwing the whole strategy out, we apply a proven system to the problem area and rebuild it from the inside out.

Pinpoint systems answer the question: Where are we leaking energy, trust, or revenue—and how do we fix it?

3. Personal Systems

These are the systems leaders implement for themselves—the behind-the-scenes rhythms that shape their decision-making, time management, and executive leadership. A great example is Michael Hyatt’s Full Focus Planner. Another is Donald Miller’s Hero on a Mission.

It could be the way you structure your week. It could be your approach to board prep. It could be your method for running a productive 1-on-1 with your direct reports.

Personal systems are often invisible to the organization, but they have enormous influence. They’re the difference between a leader who constantly reacts and one who leads with calm clarity.

Personal systems answer the question: How do I lead myself so I can lead others well?

Why Systems Win (Especially Under Stress)

Here’s why systems matter more than goals: systems still function when you’re tired.

They still function when things go sideways.

They still function when half your team is new, the budget is tight, or the pressure is high.

Goals rely on energy.

Systems create consistency.

Let me give you a real-world example.

Recently, I worked with a company that had a visionary leader and a compelling vision for growth. But they had plateaued and now were declining—despite working hard and casting big goals.

Initially, they brought me in to clean up their marketing and messaging. But, as often happens, we discovered that the deeper, systemic problem was their lack of reliable follow-up systems for vetting, launching, and marketing their products.

Their base level products were solid, and their new products had great potential, but there was no consistent communication between leadership, marketing, and sales, and no system for decision-making at crucial junctures.

So we built a simple system, modified from Small Business Flight Plan: a leadership system with five basic meetings, a marketing and sales system that unified the two departments, and a simple system for vetting new products.

That’s it.

Within a few months, we saw an increase in all major KPIs and a marked elevation of morale. They didn’t change the goal—they changed the system beneath it.

How to Build a System That Works

If you’re frustrated by goals that go nowhere, the answer is to shift your focus from the goal itself to the system behind it.

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to build an effective system. One approach is to create a custom system from scratch, designed around core principles like clarity, ownership, simplicity, and iteration. The other approach is to adopt a proven framework that already exists and tailor it to your organization’s needs. Both paths can work well if executed thoughtfully.

If building a new system from scratch feels daunting, consider leveraging an existing framework instead.

For instance, Small Business Flight Plan provides an operating framework for the entire organization, and StoryBrand offers a proven process to clarify marketing messages.

By adopting a well-vetted model, you gain a proven structure. Just remember to adapt the framework to fit your context—no off-the-shelf solution is truly one-size-fits-all. Whichever path you choose, success ultimately depends on thoughtful execution and consistent follow-through.

The Bottom Line

Scrappy is admirable. Many of the leaders I serve are doing incredible things with limited resources, tight timelines, and overextended teams.

But grit alone won’t get you where you want to go.

If your growth is flat, don’t blame your goals.

Fix your systems.

If your team is overwhelmed, don’t double down on effort.

Design a structure that supports them.

Because James Clear was right:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

Let’s make sure the systems you fall to are strong enough to carry the mission forward.