James Clear is getting some press.

I’m happy about this. And you should be, too.

I’ve been following the James Clear blog for a long time now. His writing lands at an interesting intersection of productivity, systems, and leadership - with an occasional foray into physical fitness.

After so many years of giving away incredibly valuable insight, Clear released his book “Atomic Habits” - which you should buy. And read.

Here’s the important big idea:

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

Systems thinking is by no means a new concept. In fact, it’s been implemented in the manufacturing world since the days of Henry Ford. Systems thinking for thought work and personal productivity is a relatively new application. I’ve talked about David Allen in the past - and what makes “Getting Things Done” methodology so valuable simplicity and its capacity for systemization.

After a 45-hour marathon of travel, I hit the ground of Greenville, USA today with a deeper realization of my own need for systems. It’s the only way to recover quickly from disruption.

Daily blogging has become a part of the system for me. If I take 30 minutes to clarify thinking in one area, clarity happens across a lot of fields in my life.

But it doesn’t have to be a writing thing. According to Clear, systems thinking for the most mundane tasks actually reaps huge benefits.

A system can be as simple as making the bed.