I don’t want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me. —FRANK COSTELLO (JACK NICHOLSON) FROM THE MOVIE THE DEPARTED (WARNER BROS. PICTURES, 2006)

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 154 days
• Journaling – 47 days
• Art – 40 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 20
• Monetization – Day 14
• Writing – Day 5

One system at a time and leaning hard toward stark simplicity, improve the efficiency of the component steps. Change sequences and add or delete steps as necessary. Experiment. Make each of your systems perfect.

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 153 days
• Journaling – 46 days
• Art – 39 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 19
• Monetization – Day 13
• Writing – Day 4

Management works in the system; leadership works on the system. —STEPHEN COVEY

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 152 days
• Journaling – 45 days
• Art – 38 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 18
• Monetization – Day 12
• Writing – Day 3

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other. —Douglas Everett

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[T]here will never be an Easy Button you can push to make everything instantly better.

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 151 days
• Journaling – 44 days
• Art – 37 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 17
• Monetization – Day 11
• Writing – Day 2

If solid goals are established and the majority of time is spent manipulating systems toward those goals, great results will materialize naturally.

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Your Job Your task is to optimize one system after another, not careen through the day randomly taking care of whatever problems erupt. Your job is not to be a fire killer. Your job is to prevent fires.

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You don’t pine for the big break because it’s clear the big break is already occurring piece by piece, step by step

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 150 days
• Journaling – 43 days
• Art – 36 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 16
• Monetization – Day 10
• Writing – Day 1

The notion that a butterfly flapping its wings over the jungles of Brazil will have an impact on the weather patterns over the mountains of New Hampshire is an interesting concept, but it evokes a nonsensical paranoia. Although the precept illustrates the interrelation of life elements, taking it literally casts a spell of impotence over an individual’s inclination to make changes. In the real world of day-to-day existence, the Brazilian butterfly doesn’t make a damn bit of difference.

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 149 days
• Journaling – 42 days
• Art – 35 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 15
• Monetization – Day 9

As you go through your day, think of systems you can implement that will prevent problems down the line while they keep things smooth in the present.

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Most people spend their lives trying to shuffle and reorganize the random bad results of unseen and therefore unmanaged systems.

From “Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less”

Habit chains:

• Meditation – 148 days
• Journaling – 41 days
• Art – 34 days
• Chinese Calligraphy – Day 14
• Monetization – Day 8