As recruiters, we’re wired to be goal-setters. We thrive on the excitement of closing deals, earning commissions, and celebrating our successes. But there’s a piece of wisdom I came across this week that I can’t stop thinking about, and it comes from James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits: “We don’t rise to the goals we set; we fall to the strategies and structures we implement.”
Let that sink in for a moment.
It’s easy to set ambitious goals when we’re feeling motivated and energized. But what happens when life throws us curveballs—like a string of health issues, unexpected setbacks, or just plain exhaustion? Suddenly, those goals feel miles away, and the motivation that once fueled us disappears. That’s where the real work begins—not in striving to reach our goals, but in relying on the systems we’ve built to keep us moving forward, even when we’re not at our best.
Take this past month for me, for example. Between badly pulling a muscle at the gym, dealing with a child’s bout of gastro, losing my voice for days, and suffering from a gluten mishap as a celiac, it’s been one thing after another. If I measured my success by how I felt, I would have written off this month as a failure.
But when I took a step back to assess what I had actually accomplished, I realised I had done far more than I was giving myself credit for. Despite everything, I made two placements, brought two new recruits into our business, and even built out a podcasting space that we’ll be launching soon. I also completed a program, “Build Your Desk in 30 Days,” designed to help new recruiters hit the ground running (feel free to email me about this).
None of this would have been possible if I relied solely on motivation or high energy. My systems—those daily and weekly processes I’ve refined over time—carried me through. Even when I felt like I was barely hanging on, those systems kept me on track, allowing me to achieve more than I realised.
The takeaway?
It’s crucial to have strong, dependable systems in place. These systems should be automatic, almost reflexive, so that when life gets tough, you can fall back on them. Whether it’s setting a target number of job placements, interviews, or headhunt campaigns each week, these small, controllable actions are what prop up your months, quarters, and ultimately, your year.
So, take a moment to evaluate your current processes. Do you have enough structure in place to support you when your energy dips? If not, now’s the time to make those adjustments. Spend just 30 minutes today identifying three key processes that will move the needle for you. Build them into your routine, and tweak them as needed.
Remember, you don’t rise to your goals—you fall to your systems. Make sure yours are strong enough to catch you when you need them most.
