A system including a recording head that includes a magnetic pole and a field assist source positioned adjacent the magnetic pole. The system further includes a recording medium positioned adjacent the recording head. In one aspect, the recording medium includes a magnetic recording layer wherein the magnetic recording layer has a damping value in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.20. In another aspect, the magnetic pole applies a write field to the recording medium at an angle in the range of about 15 degrees to about 30 degrees from an anisotropic axis of the magnetic recording layer and the field assist source applies a write assist field substantially in a plane perpendicular to the anisotropic axis of the magnetic recording layer. In another aspect, the field assist source has a spatial extent of about 12 nm to about 30 nm. In another aspect, the field assist source applies a circularly polarized write assist field substantially in a plane perpendicular to the anisotropic axis of the magnetic recording layer.