20 Years Of Fighting Procrastination [Part 3] - Build A System

Most people rely on fluctuating willpower to be productive—but the most effective creators use systems. Here are the core points from the lesson:

• Systems make good behavior automatic by reducing cognitive load and accounting for natural fluctuations in willpower, energy, and focus
• Structure your day around your strengths—use mornings for disciplined deep work, afternoons for accountability-based tasks, and evenings for creative exploration
• Focus on generating artifacts like notes, calendar blocks, or test plans to capture progress, clarify your thinking, and preserve valuable context
• Habit stacking and predefined triggers make consistent output easier and help you avoid relying on short-term motivation or memory