WEBVTT - Persistence over perfection

0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.680
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:15.120
<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:21.520
<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to stick with your systems. More often

0:00:21.520 --> 0:00:24.640
<v Speaker 1>than not, you will be better off maintaining a good

0:00:24.880 --> 0:00:31.360
<v Speaker 1>enough system then searching for the elusive perfect system. Most

0:00:31.560 --> 0:00:35.800
<v Speaker 1>stuff works if you stick with it. You just have

0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:40.720
<v Speaker 1>to keep going. This is the time of year when

0:00:40.760 --> 0:00:44.360
<v Speaker 1>even the most conscientious among us may be wearying of

0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:48.400
<v Speaker 1>the systems we started in January. Maybe you bought a

0:00:48.400 --> 0:00:51.559
<v Speaker 1>fancy planner to hold all your two dues, but you

0:00:51.600 --> 0:00:54.680
<v Speaker 1>are annoyed at the motivational quotes at the top of

0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:59.000
<v Speaker 1>each page. You decided to start grocery shopping on Mondays

0:00:59.040 --> 0:01:01.680
<v Speaker 1>during your lunch break so you wouldn't have to brave

0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:05.119
<v Speaker 1>the weekend crowds, but you are finding this errand makes

0:01:05.120 --> 0:01:09.280
<v Speaker 1>a long day feel even longer. You started using a

0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:12.679
<v Speaker 1>budgeting app to trim your spending, but now you are

0:01:12.720 --> 0:01:15.679
<v Speaker 1>feeling resentful that you have got one more thing to

0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:20.959
<v Speaker 1>deal with in your weekly life maintenance session. It is

0:01:21.000 --> 0:01:26.400
<v Speaker 1>tempting to ditch your adequate but annoying systems. You may

0:01:26.440 --> 0:01:28.880
<v Speaker 1>held out hope that there is a perfect system out

0:01:28.920 --> 0:01:33.920
<v Speaker 1>there a planner with only quotes. You like a budget

0:01:33.959 --> 0:01:39.319
<v Speaker 1>app that somehow requires absolutely zero work from you. I

0:01:39.360 --> 0:01:43.319
<v Speaker 1>don't know. Maybe it is possible, but the time you

0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:46.960
<v Speaker 1>invest in finding and starting a new system, which probably

0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:52.280
<v Speaker 1>won't be perfect either, is not likely to be worth it. Indeed,

0:01:52.720 --> 0:01:58.120
<v Speaker 1>stopping and starting new systems often derails us from our goals.

0:01:58.600 --> 0:02:01.720
<v Speaker 1>If you are finding a new system mostly helpful but

0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:08.120
<v Speaker 1>just slightly annoying, here's an idea. Mostly helpful is a win.

0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:14.359
<v Speaker 1>Put stickers over the sappy quotes. Enjoy a beer while

0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:18.760
<v Speaker 1>you use your budget app, but just keep using it.

0:02:20.280 --> 0:02:22.400
<v Speaker 1>When you have a system that is a decent fit

0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:26.560
<v Speaker 1>and you use it consistently, it will yield benefits over time.

0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:30.360
<v Speaker 1>Any budget system that you faithfully maintain will give you

0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:34.600
<v Speaker 1>insights into your spending. Any planner that you actually use

0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:39.120
<v Speaker 1>can help you keep track of your obligations. So unless

0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:42.440
<v Speaker 1>the system is a total mismatch, like the planner you

0:02:42.480 --> 0:02:44.919
<v Speaker 1>bought is so heavy that you're getting back pain from

0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:48.440
<v Speaker 1>carrying it around, aimed to stick with any new system

0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:50.720
<v Speaker 1>for at least a full quarter before you decide it

0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:54.520
<v Speaker 1>is not for you now. The one qualification to this

0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:57.679
<v Speaker 1>recommendation is if you find you have duplicate systems or

0:02:57.880 --> 0:03:01.360
<v Speaker 1>a system solving a problem that you don't actually have.

0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:04.840
<v Speaker 1>You don't need to record the books you've read in

0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:07.920
<v Speaker 1>good Reads and a book journal unless you want to.

0:03:08.880 --> 0:03:11.160
<v Speaker 1>In fact, you don't need to record the books you've

0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:15.560
<v Speaker 1>read it all if it's not adding to your life. Likewise,

0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:19.440
<v Speaker 1>if you use a digital calendar, you probably don't need

0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:23.600
<v Speaker 1>to record your appointments in a paper planner too. If

0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:27.560
<v Speaker 1>you realize a system is not valuable to you, then

0:03:27.639 --> 0:03:32.799
<v Speaker 1>let it go. But in general, if you consistently use

0:03:33.040 --> 0:03:36.760
<v Speaker 1>any good enough system, it will probably serve you well.

0:03:37.880 --> 0:03:42.080
<v Speaker 1>It is your persistence in using it, not the perfection

0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:50.240
<v Speaker 1>of the match, that generates success. So persist. In the meantime,

0:03:51.200 --> 0:03:55.280
<v Speaker 1>This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's to making

0:03:55.320 --> 0:04:04.640
<v Speaker 1>the most of our time. M Hey, everybody, I'd love

0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:06.920
<v Speaker 1>to hear from you. You can send me your tips,

0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:10.640
<v Speaker 1>your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter,

0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:15.760
<v Speaker 1>Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E

0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:20.560
<v Speaker 1>the number four, then breakfast p o D. You can

0:04:20.600 --> 0:04:24.120
<v Speaker 1>also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcast at

0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:27.159
<v Speaker 1>i heeart media dot com That Before Breakfast is spelled

0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:29.800
<v Speaker 1>out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look

0:04:29.839 --> 0:04:38.200
<v Speaker 1>forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production

0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:41.680
<v Speaker 1>of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio,

0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.679
<v Speaker 1>visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:47.080
<v Speaker 1>you listen to your favorite shows.