Systems are the Answer to your Struggles

Years ago I heard someone say “every struggle is a missing system” and it went *zing* right to the heart of so many issues for me. Systems are not just my business but something I believe whole-heartedly make our lives better all around. 

But there are two problems: 

1. 1. We often don’t see the system that is resolving a problem for us 
   2. It’s easy to find other culprits for the struggles we face 

Have you ever bought a new car and then started seeing other models everywhere? It’s called the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon or Frequency Bias – once you’re paying attention to that beautiful Tesla S3 you are tuned in to seeing them when they cross your path.

Systems are the same. 

I see the system behind political candidates asking for money (something we are all SO glad is done, right?). 

I see systems in how you get checked in at the doctor’s office or checked out at the grocery store.

I see the systems behind thousands of everyday tasks that we perform or observe and, without them, it would be chaos. 

Most people only notice systems when they’re missing and problems crop up.

• When your card is declined because the bank didn’t note you were traveling
• When the DMV doesn’t have your appointment even though you called
• When a store doesn’t have the stock the website promised 
• When you request a proposal and the business never calls you back 

These are normal annoyances, and they can all be solved with the right system. But we have a bias toward blaming chaos instead of our own lack of systems building. 

Imagine the entrepreneur who doesn’t upgrade their zoom account before a large webinar, who has not tested their slide deck or practiced screen sharing. Each of these tasks is a normal part of a webinar system to ensure the best experience for viewers. The entrepreneur who fails to do so screams “Mercury is in retrograde!” instead of realizing “I didn’t prepare and follow the system.” 

Understanding that systems will resolve your struggles is about taking personal responsibility for your business challenges.

Team member left and you can’t locate the files they designed? There’s a system for that. 

Surprised when a state tax bill comes in for your product and you don’t have cash on hand? There’s a system for that. 

Overwhelmed with options for your new virtual assistant and don’t know how to compare candidates? There’s a system for that.

Even the challenges which appear to be functions of creativity and innovation come down to systems because when all the other stuff in your business is handled, you can devote the time and energy your business needs to growth. 

There’s no simple system for creating the best new app feature but that discovery can only come out of a team which devotes its creative time to those challenges, instead of how to schedule a group call across 3 time zones. 

I’ve been creating, editing, re-building and tweaking systems behind the scenes of 6 and 7-figure companies for a decade now and I can tell you that there’s not a problem I’ve come across that doesn’t benefit from a system.

To prove it to you, I’ve put together a list of 101 Systems That Your Business Needs which is a handy checklist to see how you’re doing and where you need to devote some time and attention.

Enter your information in the form below to get a free copy and follow up by email and let’s see how many of your current struggles can be solved with systems!