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My secret to getting rich

My secret to getting rich

I do it everyday

Vincent Chan
October 03, 2024

Welcome to reThinkable - my weekly newsletter where I share actionable ideas to uplevel your finances, personal growth, and productivity.

Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 26 seconds

At a Glance:

I apply Systems Thinking to be more productive and achieve my goals.
A system consists of an input, a process, and an output, with a built-in feedback loop for continuous improvement.
I have clearly defined systems for different categories in my life. Applying systems to life is the key to making goals more achievable

For years, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted was one of my biggest excuses for not getting things done.

I'd get so stressed by my to-do list that I'd slam my laptop shut, make some green tea, grab a snack, and play video games. Before I knew it, the day was over and nothing got done.

I know many of you have found yourselves in this situation. You feel exhausted from work or family, and you don't want to do anything else.

But at the same time, you've wanted to increase your income or start a side hustle so you can achieve financial freedom.

Today, I'll show you how systems thinking not only helped me get my business off the ground but also gave me time to enjoy an afternoon nap.

Your Systems Uplevel Your Life

Systems thinking is the process looking at how different parts of something work together to create a result. Instead of focusing on one piece, you think about how all the pieces connect and affect each other.

A system is made up of an input (what you put in), a process (what happens to it), and an output (the final result).

Let’s say we want to bake a cake:

Input: Ingredients (flour, eggs, sugar)
Process: Mix ingredients and put in the oven
Output: Cake

Systems thinking is powerful because it breaks down a desired output into the right inputs and processes needed to achieve it.

And going one step further, there is a built-in feedback loop. If you use high-quality ingredients (inputs) and your cake turns out better, that feedback tells you to keep using those ingredients.

If you bake the cake for too long (process) and it comes out dry, that feedback helps you avoid the same mistake next time.

Navigating Systems In Your Life

Nowadays, I have clearly defined systems to make my life more efficient. I’d love to share 2 of them below so you can think of ways to integrate systems into your life.

Work Productivity

After lunch, I’d often feel sleepy and struggle to get anything done. Sometimes I’d take a two-hour nap and wake up too groggy to do anything. So here’s what I did:

Start with the output

Output: A finished to-do list

Next, focus on the input and process:

Input: A to-do list
Process: How I approach the to-do list

By breaking it down this way, I realized each part affected the other. Improving my system required some research and paying attention to the feedback loop.

Get the input right:

If my to-do list was too long, I’d feel discouraged. And if I waited until after lunch to make it, I often wouldn’t do it at all. After trying different numbers, I found that limiting my list to 3 key tasks kept me focused. These 3 key tasks were the ones that moved the needle in the business. Of course I could always do more than the 3 tasks but the biggest priority were those 3.

Perfect the process:

Sitting for long stretches stressed me out, so I tried techniques like the Pomodoro Method (work for 25 minutes, break for 5). This helped me stay focused and refreshed.

I also learned that a 25-minute nap after lunch left me feeling energized rather than groggy, and it would also make me happy (I love naps).

So my afternoon productivity system looks like this:

This routine really helped me so much in the early days of my business when I had to shift from a full-time job to managing my own schedule.

Continuously Investing

Another simple application of systems thinking is investment contributions. Maybe you struggle because you get so busy you forget to make the transfer, or you end up spending the money on other things.

Let’s say you want to contribute $4,800 every year to your brokerage account.

Start with the output:

Output: Contribute $4,800 to investments in one year.

Next, break it down into the input and process:

Input: $400 per month (or $100 per week),
Process: Automate the monthly transfer as soon as the money hits your account.

As part of the feedback loop:

Evaluate your input: are you able to contribute $400 consistently? If you can’t meet that amount, ask yourself if it's realistic—does it allow you to cover your everyday needs without cutting too much?

Check the process: If automated transfers aren’t working, try a different schedule or method that fits your routine better. For example, you could set a reminder to manually transfer the money right after you pay your bills, or transfer smaller amounts weekly instead of one larger sum monthly.

Small Wins Matter

Systems thinking isn’t just for big, complicated problems—it’s a useful tool for everyday tasks and goals.

Celebrating small wins helps keep us motivated and energized. The more we achieve small things, like working out in the morning or reading a bit more each day, the more confident we feel about tackling bigger challenges.