Now that we are settling into January, many of us have goals established.
This is a great time to have a conversation about the systems in place to achieve our goals.
I have been researching systems and there are great references we can leverage.
Open vs. Closed Loop Systems
In an open system, there are inputs, a process (habit or routine), and outputs.
The output is not compared to the desired output and there are no corrective actions based on output.
The inputs directly impact the output, and you continue the process without assessment.
Conversely, closed-loop systems continuously monitor the output and adjust the input or process to maintain the desired output.
These are called feedback loops.
When working with goals, we have the highest chance of achieving them when we design a closed-loop system with feedback.
This allows the waypower to engage – determining different paths to achieve success.
Feedback Loops
Feedback loops are at the core of continuous improvement.
There are both positive and negative loops – tracking the output allows us to monitor results and adjust our approach accordingly.
To apply a loop, we need to identify measures that can be tracked on a regular basis.
Example measurements – daily steps taken, don’t break the chain tracking of a habit, or # of hours spend doing deep work each week.
Your Turn
Do you have measures to keep your goals on track?
How could you create feedback loops to let you know if you are moving in a positive direction?
Are you able to keep goals that don’t have specific feedback measures?