Goal Month: Process & Outcome

Another way to think about goals is to consider process goals and outcome goals.

Process goals are the kind where we commit to an activity.  For example, when I say I am going to do two weight workouts a week, that is a process goal.  Outcome goals are about what results we want, like wanting to bench press fifty zilliabillion pounds (imaginary units again, because some of us get too attached to the numbers and ignore the words).

 

Obviously, the two are connected.  If I do two weight workouts consistently every week, I’m going to get closer to bench pressing fifty zilliabillion pounds.  And if I want to hit that bench press goal, I’m going to have to do weight workouts.  The difference is in the focus.

 

Much like Deion Sanders in that old ad, we want both.  The outcome goal gives us the distance perspective and the process goal gives us the to-do list for today.