5x1: When You Fail...

January 3, 2024

by Monti Pace

The 5x1 newsletter aims to be a concise and focused resource for you around the core concept that we will accomplish more of our goals (and accomplish them faster) by designing and implementing systems.

sys·tem [ˈsistəm]
a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network.
a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method.

By most definitions — I failed. I failed to send out a newsletter each week. Frankly, there have been more weeks that have gone by where I haven’t sent a newsletter than weeks I have. But by my definition— I didn’t fail, because I’m picking it back up again. That’s actually how I designed this system for myself.

It may seem like a bad business model to admit that I fail at my own systems ALL THE TIME, considering preaching the power of systems is the entire foundation of my business, but I see it as an asset. The reason I’m so passionate about systems is because I’m the one that needs them the most.

When you end up with the hat trick of severe depression, late-diagnosed ADHD, and anxiety disorder, trust me, you need systems. We’ve talked in past editions about minimum viable systems and designing for what you’re like. That’s not just about individual systems — it’s also about your systems as a whole. When you look across your life at the different systems you have in place, which ones are the most critical? On your worst day, what is the minimum that you need to do to keep moving?

For me, it’s 3 systems — mental health, client work, and sleep.

(1) Mental Health: It has taken me years to get to a mental health system that works. Although expensive and time-consuming, it’s what I need to stay operational. If I’m not staying on top of my individual therapy, group therapy, prescription ketamine treatments, weekly personal training, and an assortment of daily medications, nothing else will matter.

(2) Sleep: When I was younger, sleep would be the first thing to go when life got busy, but as I’ve learned, operating consistently on little sleep puts me into an anxious, hypomanic, and depressed state. It’s incredibly frustrating that in a world where entrepreneurs are told to hustle and wake up at 4 am, my depression means I need closer to 9 hours of sleep a night, but I’ve learned to accept and honor what my body needs.

(3) Client Work: Client work is the bread and butter of what keeps my mortgage paid and the lights on around here, so the systems I have in place to ensure I’m able to deliver on my obligations to clients are essential.

During seasons that are especially busy or when my mental health and energy dip, I focus on those basics. I let personal development, marketing, business development, and house projects take a backseat for a while.

Think through all of the goals and systems in your life holistically in terms of priority level. Use the glass versus plastic analogy — what are you juggling that’s plastic versus what are you juggling that’s glass? This will help you get clear on what can drop but not break when your mental health takes a downturn or life gets too busy and what things need to keep going no matter what.

And with that, we’re back. I’m excited to pick back up where we left off with the 5x1 newsletter and help you systematize your life and business. We’ll get back to the standard format next week.

If you’re interested in more structured support and accountability for your 2024 goals, I’m currently offering a 2024 Goal Momentum System for Business Owners. The system includes quarterly planning, monthly re-calibration, and weekly accountability. Although it’s designed for business owners, it’s for anyone who has goals they want to own in their life. For the next week, I’m offering 10% off for paying for the year upfront. Reply back “interested” for more info, or book a free 30-min info call.​