Result Goals and Process Goals

First let me clarify from my last post that yes, I did meet my weight loss goal by September last year. Part of how I did this involves a distinction between goals about the results I want and goals about the process to achieve them.

When I can picture the result I want to end with—whether it's a new job, a new weight, my first cruise, or finishing a master's degree—I call that a result goal. Sometimes the result I want seems so far away, I don't know how to get from here to there. That's when I break it down into action steps, and create a process of steps that will get me where I want to end up... if I follow the process. In the case of last year's weight loss, I focused on getting to my fitness classes as often as possible, usually 5-10 times a week, and eating a little more carefully. I paid attention to the process, and the result took care of itself.

I think I learned this method from my children. They wanted good grades in school, and the way to achieve that goal was to do the homework and the classwork and all the reading and taking notes. When they worked the process, they achieved the results. The success of this method does depend on identifying the right steps for your process. Studying four hours a day does not ensure weight loss, and dancing ten hours a week does not help you get an A in Chemistry.

From another perspective, you can double-check that your result goal is realistic (see SMART goals) if you can identify the steps that you could take to achieve it. If you can't find the steps that could get you from where you are to your goal, perhaps it's not a real goal, just a ticket to take a guilt trip for not meeting it. For example, if I were to set a goal of becoming a professional football player, no amount of steps could get me to that goal, starting where I am today. Professional chef, maybe. Calculus teacher, lots of steps but probably. I'm not actually interested in cooking or calculus, so motivation to work the process would be my big problem.

Summarizing, identify your result goal, determine the steps it will take to achieve that and use them to create your process goal. Then keep your eye on the result goal for motivation but work through the process goal to get there.