As another new year fast approaches, so too does another opportunity to reflect and set meaningful goals. Many of us have been taught to set goals as a natural way to measure progress and reach milestones on the path to our desired success. But ironically, sometimes goals can be the very thing getting in the way of that success.
If you’ve been plugging away at your goals but wondering why you’re still feeling unfulfilled (or putting off the actions that will help you reach daunting goals you truly want to accomplish), it might be time to reevaluate what kind of goals you’re setting.
Outcome Goals
Many of us have been taught to set goals almost as if they’re to-do lists; items we can cross off our list once we achieve them. . For example: make $10,000 this month, lose 10 pounds, or get a new job.
These are outcome goals, as they ultimately focus on the “what”, or outcome, of our success. While outcome goals are certainly important and helpful on the road to success, unfortunately for many, they have become the only goals – and if outcome goals are the only goals we focus on, we are constantly living in anticipation of that specific achievement. As a result, we lose connection with the present moment and even unconsciously delay our happiness, putting it off until we can check that goal off our list. Since outcome goals are tied to specific outcomes we intend to reach, they are also inflexible, failing to take into account that sometimes our goals don’t evolve with us. And in that case, we’ve prolonged our happiness at what expense?
Process Goals
While outcome goals focus on “WHAT” you will accomplish, process goals, on the other hand, focus on HOW you will get there. For example, if the outcome goal for a rock climber is to reach the top of a mountain, a process goal might focus on how creative their strategy is along the way, the degree of challenge they decide to take on their route, or even how much enjoyment they feel through the experience. In short, process goals focus on the journey, not the destination!
Not only do process goals bring us back into the moment, they also increase the likelihood of us meeting our initial outcome goals and the quality of our experience along the way – a double win.
Balancing Goals for Success
Now, by no means are outcome goals bad. They just aren’t the only goals you should be setting if you want to reach success and enjoy doing so! To balance your goals for success this year (or any time you find yourself goal-setting), try breaking down each outcome goal you have into one or more process goals that represent the meaningful actions you can take to not only get where you want to go but to BE the kind of person you aspire to be on the road there.
Some additional examples of how one might break down some common outcome goals:
| Outcome Goals (what) | Process Goals (how) |
| Lose 5 pounds | • Participate in a favorite movement activity for 30 minutes a day • Be mindful when eating; take time to savor and prepare foods that will nourish me |
| Save $10,000 | • Set up a monthly budget plan to track expenses • Cut down on non-essential expenses and redirect to savings account |
| Get a Job | • Update resume and LinkedIn • Dedicate 1 hour each weekday to networking |
These are just a few of the many ways you could potentially break down some common outcome goals. Depending on how you envision success, you may prioritize something else in the process! The important thing to remember is to consider the journey as equally important as the destination.
Happy New Year, and happy goal-setting! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions about process vs. outcome goals.
