CMP Review 2026-01-15

January 15, 2026

“Goals are good for setting a direction,” writes James Clear, “but systems are best for making progress.” In his book Atomic Habits he went on to say, “If you completely ignored your goals and focused only on your system, would you still succeed? … I think you would.”

A “system,” according to Clear, is a collection of related habits. Years ago when my son set his heart on being an ice dancer, he set his time on building a system. That meant hour after hour of focused, examined, progressive training and practice. But he also had a goal. The goal, just as Clear says, gave direction.

As recently as the Living Education Retreat in July, I told a friend of mine the goal my son had had for many years: to represent the United States in an international competition.

A few months later I found myself in Gdańsk watching my son on the ice with his talented partner Sophia Feige. I couldn’t help but think about the significance of reaching a goal after so many years of hard work.

James Clear points out another difference between goals and systems. “The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”

Hearing that the goal had been attained, my friend from the Living Education Retreat asked me: “Is this the conclusion of Wiles’s career in ice dancing?”

No, “it is certainly not the end of his skating career,” I replied. “In a certain way, it feels like the beginning.”

@artmiddlekauff

📷: @feige_middlekauff_team