Why unsexy systems matter more than motivation

6 days ago
5 min read

Updated: 12 hours ago

Every new year, we all start with good intentions.

New plans. Fresh goals. A quiet hope that this will be the year things finally stick.

And yet, by late January, most goals are already drifting. There is a reason why they call January 18 Ditchers Day. The new year is now in the distance, and the new reality of what we want to achieve and what it actually takes to get there becomes a reality, which may not look very appealing.

This is why I’m a big believer in systems, because they work. They don't overpromise or underdeliver.

The problem is, systems aren’t sexy to sell. They don’t create instant excitement or dramatic transformations overnight.

But systems quietly determine whether you succeed or fail at anything that matters to you.

That includes many areas of your life, from weight loss and strength training to relationships, saving money, or learning a new skill.

Why motivation isn’t the real issue

Motivation is unreliable.

Some days you have it. Some days you don’t.

Quite simply, a system doesn’t care how you feel. It keeps you moving anyway.

This is why James Clear's work from Atomic Habits is so valuable, particularly at this time of year. I have woven his systems into my health and my work, so I felt it might be useful for you at this time of year, too.

His four-step habit framework explains why some habits stick and others quietly disappear.

Once you understand it, you can apply it to almost anything.

New beginnings - we can't just rely on the motivation we feel on day 1.

Step 1 - Make it obvious: the foundation of any system

If something matters, it needs to be visible.

With home workouts, if your dumbbells live at the back of a cupboard or under your bed, they won’t get used. If your workouts are scheduled and time is created for them, they’re far more likely to take place. Removing the friction around your workouts is what will get you to the mat, more than waiting to feel in the right mood.

The same applies to saving money. If saving only happens “if there’s something left over, it won’t happen. If money is automatically moved into savings when you’re paid, the system does the work for you.

Learning a new skill like piano works the same way. If the piano is closed and out of sight, practice won’t happen. If it’s visible and part of your daily environment, there's a chance those keys will be played.

Obvious beats intention every time.

Step 2 - Make it attractive: why we repeat what feels good

We repeat behaviours that feel rewarding now, not those that promise benefits later.

This is where many weight loss and fitness plans fail. If the process feels punishing, restrictive, or isolating, your brain will resist it. This is why a system that sets small achievable goals will move you further, faster.

Now apply this to relationships.

If spending time together feels tense or transactional, it won’t last. If your system includes small moments of enjoyment, shared rituals, laughter, and ease, you’ll want to keep showing up.

My 8-week Beginner Program is a good example, where I encourage only 2 workouts a week. For someone new to lifting weights, any more and it becomes 'too much of a change too soon'. Or in other words, unattractive. I want you to train for the long game, not just a quick fix.

Twice a week is achievable and attractive, and that matters for your outcome.

Step 3 - Make it easy: the secret to consistency

This is the step most people overlook.

We build plans that only work on perfect weeks.

If your workout plan requires five workouts a week, flawless nutrition, and zero flexibility, it’s not realistic. It's a fantasy.

Ease isn’t laziness. Ease is what allows habits to survive busy days, low energy, and real life.

Ten minutes of practice beats an hour you never get to. A 10- or 15-minute express workout is the thread that runs through a strong framework for my workouts. You don't always have 30 mins. But you always have 10. Easy! And that 10 is part of the system that will keep you on track and connected to your workouts, rather than days and weeks going by with no movement.

Consistency always wins. Your job is to make consistency easy to access.

Step 4 - Make it satisfying: progress you can feel

There needs to be feedback, especially in the early weeks when change can be subtle or easy to miss.

If you’re only a few weeks in and you don’t yet see or feel much difference in your body or your new skill, that doesn’t mean it’s not working. It usually just means you’re too close to the process to notice the shift yet. This is exactly where tracking progress matters.

With your workouts, progress might look like:•

Ticking off a calendar each time you train• Those visual cues and seeing the workouts you have done really do add up
Taking weekly or fortnightly photos rather than relying on daily mirrors•
Knowing the moves a little better•
Feeling more confident setting yourself up•
Recovering more quickly between sessions

There can even be satisfaction and a sense of progress from a little soreness after moving your body. That feedback tells you your body is adapting, even if it doesn’t look different yet.

Saving money works the same way. Progress isn’t dramatic at first. It’s watching a balance slowly grow, or simply feeling calmer knowing you have a buffer if something unexpected comes up.

With learning the piano, it’s not suddenly playing beautifully. It’s hearing a piece sound slightly smoother than last week, or making fewer mistakes in the same section you struggled with before.

If there’s no sense of progress, the habit fades quietly. Not because you failed, but because the brain needs evidence that the effort is worth repeating.

The quiet truth about systems

Systems aren’t exciting. But they work.

They remove decision fatigue. They reduce pressure. They stop you relying on willpower.

As a personal trainer, this is exactly how I approach strength training for myself and for my clients. Not extremes. Not perfection. Just systems that fit real lives.