Skip to content

Success Is Hard Until You Build Systems Like This

2026-02-19 · Long video (solo, talking head or whiteboard) · Ali · recording, 25:56 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Productivity and time (also: Goals, purpose and life design, Health, sleep and habits, Relationships and personal life, Money and investing) · mode: Explanation and tutorial · tags: Sponsor segment present, Family, His medical past

Ali defines success as working towards goals you intrinsically care about, in balance and with enjoyment, and argues that systems, step-by-step sets of actions as in aviation, medicine and sales, make it far more likely; he then lays out five personal systems: goal setting, time management, a HealthOS for sleep, diet and exercise, relationships, and an automatic paycheck split.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — What the video covers and who Ali is

00:00:42 — What success means: goals you care about, balance and enjoying the journey

  • ★★★ Ali defines success as achieving or actively working towards goals you intrinsically care about, in a balanced way that does not wreck your health and relationships, while enjoying the journey. — 00:00:50 · identified motivation
  • ★★ Ali says that reaching the nicest house, the fanciest job or the biggest business without enjoying the journey feels hollow, because happiness is not found at the destination. — 00:01:20
  • ★★ Ali says enjoying the pursuit of goals comes largely from your approach: being playful, sincere rather than serious, not overly attached to any outcome, and intrinsically motivated. — 00:01:49 · identified motivation
  • ★★★ Ali argues that building systems into your life makes you far more likely to take the actions your goals need, to keep a balanced approach and to enjoy the journey. — 00:02:18

  • ★★ Ali defines a system as a network of interconnected actions, processes or checklists that leads to a particular result: a step-by-step set of actions. — 00:02:47

    “a system is a step-by-step set of actions that leads to a particular result”

00:02:50 — What a system is: aviation, medicine, business and Jeff Su's effort graph

  • ★ Ali says the world of aviation is built around systems, which is why basically all aeroplanes look alike: people have worked out a system for making them fly. — 00:03:20
  • ★★ Ali, a former doctor, says medicine is all about following systems, such as the Calgary-Cambridge method of patient interviewing, which sets out the questions a doctor needs to ask. — 00:03:49
  • ★★ Ali says even the most experienced surgeon must fill out a checklist before and after every operation. — 00:04:48
  • ★★ Ali shares a graph from his friend Jeff Su on the value of a system: building one takes a little more effort at first, then takes much of the effort out of the work. — 00:05:17

00:05:57 — Sponsor read for Trading 212

00:07:10 — Examples: training with a personal trainer and a sales-call script

  • ★★ Without a system Ali made almost no progress at the gym; recently his personal trainer programmes his workouts, three sessions a week at a fixed time with progressive overload, and he finally sees progress. — 00:07:25
  • ★★ For sales calls in a new business Ali advises a system: a sales script with a similar opening and closing each time and a list of likely objections, such as price, time or "let me think about it". — 00:07:54
  • ★★ Ali says having goals matters because you know what you are aiming for, but you need not be attached to them or upset if you miss the timeframe you wanted. — 00:08:53

00:08:59 — System one: goal setting, from life compass to quarterly quests

  • ★★ Ali does not mind which goal-setting system you use: google one or ask ChatGPT or Claude for one; his own is the GPS system. — 00:09:43 · ChatGPT, Claude, GPS: goal, plan, system
  • ★★★ Ali's goal-setting process: a life compass of long-term vision and core values, a three-year sketch such as a vision board, 90-day quarterly quests, then a weekly Balanced Week Blueprint of prioritisation and reflection. — 00:10:15 · weekly review
  • ★★ Ali estimates a life compass exercise takes a couple of hours and a vision board or three-year sketch about half an hour. (hedged) — 00:10:15
  • ★★ Ali says a systematic goal-setting process makes you far more likely to work towards goals you actually want, rather than ones society, your parents or a past self chose. — 00:11:33 · identified motivation

00:11:54 — System two: time management with time blocking, prioritisation and reflection

  • ★★ Ali names time, energy and focus as the three resources individuals invest in work, with money a fourth when a team does it; time is the most important. — 00:12:15 · time management
  • ★★ Ali's weekly arithmetic: of 168 hours most people sleep about 56 and spend about 12 eating and so on, leaving 100; a 60-hour job leaves 40, which six hours of daily screen time would swallow. — 00:12:44 · time management
  • ★★★ The first factor of a good time management system is time blocking; Ali time-blocks a weekly date night with his wife, the gym three times a week and two filming days a week. — 00:13:26 · time-blocking, Izzy Sealey, time management
  • ★★ Ali says deciding ahead how to use your time, rather than at the mercy of mood or energy, makes it easier to act consistently, while free time for spontaneity can stay in the calendar. — 00:13:56 · time-blocking
  • ★★ The second factor of a good time management system is a method for prioritisation: an ambitious person cannot do everything, so must pick the few most important things. — 00:14:25 · time management
  • ★★ The third factor is reflection on how you spent your time, used to adjust time blocking and priorities; Ali tries to do a weekly review, a series of questions taking about 20 minutes. — 00:14:25 · weekly review, time-blocking
  • ★★ Ali's third system is a health operating system he calls HealthOS: a system followed on autopilot towards health goals, covering sleep, diet and exercise. — 00:14:59

00:15:10 — System three: HealthOS for sleep, diet and exercise

  • ★★ Ali says eight hours of sleep a night helps, and that a bedroom set to 19 °C is the temperature that optimises sleep for most people. — 00:15:40
  • ★★ Ali advises sticking to consistent bed and wake times so your circadian rhythms line up, making you less tired, groggy or low on energy during the day. — 00:16:09
  • ★★ For sleep Ali also lists viewing morning sunlight, as Andrew Huberman advises, keeping the phone out of the bedroom, and a Kindle on the bedside table, which he likes himself. — 00:16:09 · Kindle
  • ★★ Ali wears a Whoop for a sleep score, with a streak of about 380 days; he says a metric to check how a system performs and adjust it is helpful, though not essential. — 00:16:38
  • ★★ Ali says busy people, especially with kids, find systemising the household diet very helpful: fixed takeaway and pizza nights, Sunday meal prep, and breakfasts and lunches batch-prepared for the week. — 00:17:37
  • ★★ Ali says a diet method, which need not be fancy, spares you deciding what to eat for 21 meals a week, saving a lot of time and making you healthier. — 00:18:06
  • ★★ Ali's exercise system: weight training three times a week, about 40 minutes of Zone 2 cardio running three times a week, yoga once or twice a week, and 10,000 steps a day. — 00:18:06
  • ★★ Ali's gym sessions are in his calendar but his runs are not: he runs when he has time, which is why he is far less consistent with running than with the gym. — 00:18:35
  • ★★ Ali says relationships should be systemised: marriage counsellors and books on successful marriage point to a weekly date night in the calendar that both partners know happens, such as every Sunday evening. — 00:19:04

00:19:25 — System four: date nights, relationship reviews, holidays and standing social events

  • ★★ Ali recommends regular relationship reviews, perhaps monthly, to reflect on the relationship and raise minor grievances; he and his wife saw a relationship therapist before marrying, on a friend's advice. — 00:19:54 · Izzy Sealey
  • ★★ As work gets busy, Ali advises blocking out holidays in advance: many of the most successful entrepreneurs he knows block holidays with spouse and kids at the start of the year, before business planning. — 00:20:23
  • ★★ The most social people Ali knows hold standing order social events: a friend of his in Austin and his wife invited everyone to a lake at 8 a.m. every Saturday, then breakfast. — 00:20:52 · Izzy Sealey
  • ★★ Ali says small systems sustain friendships: an annual handwritten Christmas card can keep a friendship going for decades, and thoughtful friends keep birthdays in the calendar with a reminder two weeks ahead. — 00:22:20
  • ★★ Ali says people who spend their paycheck as they like and plan to save or invest whatever is left over end up saving nothing, because little is left. — 00:23:12

00:23:14 — System five: an automatic paycheck split, and the GPS video

  • ★★★ Ali advises a paycheck system: as soon as pay arrives, set percentages go automatically to savings, to an investment account, to tax if you pay your own, and to bills. — 00:23:57
  • ★★ Ali says automating the paycheck split removes the monthly decision, which matters because people generally make decisions emotionally rather than logically. — 00:24:19

Threads in this video

  • first on record · How should you define success? — Ali defines success as achieving or actively working towards goals you intrinsically care about, in a balanced way that does not wreck your health and relationships, while enjoying the journey. (00:00:50)
  • restate · Should productivity be about efficiency or about enjoying the work? — Ali says enjoying the pursuit of goals comes largely from your approach: being playful, sincere rather than serious, not overly attached to any outcome, and intrinsically motivated. (00:01:49)
  • restate · Should you set goals, and how? — Ali argues that building systems into your life makes you far more likely to take the actions your goals need, to keep a balanced approach and to enjoy the journey. (00:02:18)
  • restate · How do you exercise consistently and get in shape? — Without a system Ali made almost no progress at the gym; recently his personal trainer programmes his workouts, three sessions a week at a fixed time with progressive overload, and he finally sees progress. (00:07:25)
  • refine · How do you exercise consistently and get in shape? — Ali's gym sessions are in his calendar but his runs are not: he runs when he has time, which is why he is far less consistent with running than with the gym. (00:18:35)
  • refine · How do you sell without feeling sleazy? — For sales calls in a new business Ali advises a system: a sales script with a similar opening and closing each time and a list of likely objections, such as price, time or "let me think about it". (00:07:54)
  • restate · Should you set goals, and how? — Ali does not mind which goal-setting system you use: google one or ask ChatGPT or Claude for one; his own is the GPS system. (00:09:43)
  • refine · Should you set goals, and how? — Ali's goal-setting process: a life compass of long-term vision and core values, a three-year sketch such as a vision board, 90-day quarterly quests, then a weekly Balanced Week Blueprint of prioritisation and reflection. (00:10:15)
  • restate · Should you time-block your calendar? — The first factor of a good time management system is time blocking; Ali time-blocks a weekly date night with his wife, the gym three times a week and two filming days a week. (00:13:26)
  • refine · Should you time-block your calendar? — Ali says deciding ahead how to use your time, rather than at the mercy of mood or energy, makes it easier to act consistently, while free time for spontaneity can stay in the calendar. (00:13:56)
  • restate · How do you decide which work to prioritise? — The second factor of a good time management system is a method for prioritisation: an ambitious person cannot do everything, so must pick the few most important things. (00:14:25)
  • refine · How should you plan your week? — The third factor is reflection on how you spent your time, used to adjust time blocking and priorities; Ali tries to do a weekly review, a series of questions taking about 20 minutes. (00:14:25)
  • refine · How do you sleep better? — Ali advises sticking to consistent bed and wake times so your circadian rhythms line up, making you less tired, groggy or low on energy during the day. (00:16:09)
  • restate · How do you sleep better? — For sleep Ali also lists viewing morning sunlight, as Andrew Huberman advises, keeping the phone out of the bedroom, and a Kindle on the bedside table, which he likes himself. (00:16:09)
  • refine · Should you track your sleep with an app or a device? — Ali wears a Whoop for a sleep score, with a streak of about 380 days; he says a metric to check how a system performs and adjust it is helpful, though not essential. (00:16:38)
  • refine · What should you eat to stay healthy? — Ali says busy people, especially with kids, find systemising the household diet very helpful: fixed takeaway and pizza nights, Sunday meal prep, and breakfasts and lunches batch-prepared for the week. (00:17:37)
  • restate · How many steps a day should you walk? — Ali's exercise system: weight training three times a week, about 40 minutes of Zone 2 cardio running three times a week, yoga once or twice a week, and 10,000 steps a day. (00:18:06)
  • restate · How do you keep a relationship healthy? — Ali says relationships should be systemised: marriage counsellors and books on successful marriage point to a weekly date night in the calendar that both partners know happens, such as every Sunday evening. (00:19:04)
  • refine · How do you keep a relationship healthy? — Ali recommends regular relationship reviews, perhaps monthly, to reflect on the relationship and raise minor grievances; he and his wife saw a relationship therapist before marrying, on a friend's advice. (00:19:54)
  • refine · How do you balance ambitious work with family life? — As work gets busy, Ali advises blocking out holidays in advance: many of the most successful entrepreneurs he knows block holidays with spouse and kids at the start of the year, before business planning. (00:20:23)
  • restate · How do you keep friendships and avoid loneliness? — The most social people Ali knows hold standing order social events: a friend of his in Austin and his wife invited everyone to a lake at 8 a.m. every Saturday, then breakfast. (00:20:52)
  • refine · How do you keep friendships and avoid loneliness? — Ali says small systems sustain friendships: an annual handwritten Christmas card can keep a friendship going for decades, and thoughtful friends keep birthdays in the calendar with a reminder two weeks ahead. (00:22:20)
  • refine · How should you start investing? — Ali advises a paycheck system: as soon as pay arrives, set percentages go automatically to savings, to an investment account, to tax if you pay your own, and to bills. (00:23:57)

Mentioned

Central: time management

Also: People: Andrew Huberman · Izzy Sealey · Jeff Su

Organizations: Trading 212

Concepts: 10,000 steps a day · Calgary-Cambridge method · circadian rhythm · core values · GPS: goal, plan, system · identified motivation · progressive overload · quarterly quest · relationship therapy · sincerity versus seriousness · standing order social event · three-year sketch · time-blocking · vision board · weekly review · Zone 2 cardio

Places: Austin

Products: ChatGPT · Claude · Kindle · Whoop

← Previous: If you're struggling with entrepreneurship, watch this · Next → The mistake people make with setting goals