Mapping Out Your Future: The Power of Process Goals Over Outcome Goals

If you’re a doctor, you’re used to reaching goals. But often those goals are ones that have been chosen for you, or that follow a well-worn template. When it comes to creating and achieving your own personal and meaningful goals, it’s common to feel stuck and uncertain how to move forward with purpose. That’s where process goals come into play.

When the future you envision seems unattainable, it’s possible that the type of goal you’ve chosen is the sticking point. Whether it's landing a new job or position, getting control of your time and energy, achieving a financial milestone, or even taking a dream vacation, the focus is often on the end result. And that can sometimes feel like a heavy lift.

To be clear, it’s important to have an end in mind. However, what if I told you that shifting your focus from the outcome to the process could be the key to your success?

In this article I’ll show you the difference between outcome goals and process goals. I’ll give you some easy-to-understand examples of how this can work for you. And I’ll give you some steps that you can start working on today.

Understanding Outcome Goals vs. Process Goals

Outcome goals are the big results you want to achieve. While these goals provide direction and motivation, they are often beyond your direct control due to a variety of external factors. These might include outside competition, unexpected obstacles, lack of time, and your other obligations. Sometimes the problem is simply a lack of specificity.

Process goals are the steps you take to achieve your outcome goals. They focus on the actions and behaviors that are well within your control.

Process goals are:

• Shorter term (usually less than a week)

• Concrete and realistic       

• Very specific

• Trackable and measurable

• Modifiable

• In alignment with your values

In short, process goals are often SMART goals. For instance, a process goal might be to exercise for 30 minutes a day, enroll in a leadership development course, send one email to request a letter of recommendation weekly for three weeks, or practice the guitar for an hour each week.

When you focus on process goals, you maintain control over your progress, making adjustments as needed, without the pressure of an immediate big and important outcome.

Process goals lead towards an outcome, even though that outcome is not always guaranteed. This is the way you break down a goal that seems unattainable or even audacious and create your own roadmap. In truth, you may not get where you expect to go, but you’ll get somewhere. And you’ll open up more possibilities along the way. Sometimes those other possibilities become the new outcome goal.

The Benefits of Focusing on Process Goals

1. Consistency and Habits: Process goals encourage you to develop consistent habits. By committing to daily or weekly actions, no matter how small, you’ll build a routine that supports long-term progress.

2. Flexibility: Unlike outcome goals, which can be rigid and unforgiving, process goals allow for flexibility. If one approach isn't working, you can modify your actions without feeling like you've failed. Changing direction is a normal and exciting part of the process goal method. By creating small process steps, you’re allowing yourself to experiment with small stakes outcomes.

3. Reduced Stress: Shifting your focus from the end result to the journey reduces stress and anxiety. You’ll become more engaged in the present moment, finding a sense of satisfaction in the process itself. And you’ll feel more in control.

4. Enhanced Motivation: Achieving small, manageable goals boosts your motivation and confidence. You’ll be able to track your accomplishments as they happen. Each step forward serves to reinforce your commitment and gradually drive more progress. Sometimes this is referred to as a “fly wheel”. It may take some effort to get the process rolling, but eventually you’ll gain momentum and achieving your goals will become easier.

For more about SMART goals, check out my recent article here. To learn more about how to create action steps to achieve your process goals, see this article. In addition to providing a template to help you get started, the article gives you a practical breakdown of the way this process might work for someone who is seeking a new job or position.

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