Did you know there are actually two very different types of goals you can set?
Process goals are different from outcome goals — but you need both of them in order to succeed.
An outcome goal is any goal that has your ultimate desired objective as its target. For example: lose 100 pounds in 12 months, or improve how fast you can run a mile by 1 minute per mile in 3 months.
A process goal is any goal that focuses on the process that would enable you to achieve your outcome goal. For the weight loss scenario, a process goal might be: I will eat a total of 1500 calories each day and work out for at least 60 minutes in the gym three times per week.
Why are process goals important?
While we set and are motivated to achieve our outcome goals, the actual outcome is beyond our control. What you control is the process: the actions you take every day. That’s what you should focus on as you work toward your goals.
For example: you might say you want to lose 100 pounds in 12 months. That outcome is not directly in your control. You can focus on controlling your process, including behaviors such as:
- Eating a total of 1500 calories each day
- Going for a 30-minute walk after dinner each evening
- Working out in the gym for 60 minutes at least 3 times a week
Let’s take another example. Suppose your goal is to deepen your relationship with your husband over the next 90 days. That’s an outcome goal and it’s a bit difficult to measure.
A process goal might be:
- We will go on a weekly date night, no matter what, every single week.
- We will spend 15 minutes a day without devices or the TV on, catching up with each other.
You can divide each of the milestones you identified in the lesson above into process goals for you to achieve. Start by thinking about the actions you should take, or regular behaviors you should engage in, to make those milestones happen.
For example, your process goals to lose weight might also include:
- Weighing yourself first thing every morning
- Taking all your vitamins and supplements each day
- Meeting with your nutritionist to decide on your weekly meal plan
- Grocery shopping and meal prepping every Sunday
- Meeting with a personal trainer once a month to map out your training plan for the gym
If you follow these process goals consistently, you’re extremely likely to make progress toward your outcome goal: losing weight. And while there is no guarantee that you’ll hit your exact weight target, you are far more likely to achieve this outcome by sticking to your process goals.