The Power of Process Goals vs. Outcome Goals

By Action Coach Dave Beam

How do you feel about goal setting?  Is it an enjoyable experience, or an activity you avoid?  Most of us have heard about the “power” of having clear goals, yet how many of us actually set clear goals and use them?  If you are like me, the reason you may avoid the whole goal setting scene is because goals can actually lead to discouragement and even despair.  Being reminded of unfulfilled outcomes can produce questions like “Am I just kidding myself?” and “Will I really ever get there?”
So what’s the answer?  Steve Chandler in his new book, Shift Your Mind, has a short chapter that distinguishes Process Goals from Outcome Goals.  Outcome Goals are those big dreams; descriptions of the ultimate outcomes from years of discipline and pursuit.   For an outcome goal to be useful and effective, we need to use it properly.  An outcome goal is great for setting our direction.  It is also essential for planning and prioritizing.  Outcome goals will stretch us and cause us to think bigger and more creative thoughts.  They can break us out of our comfort zones, and force us to ask bigger and better questions.

Where Outcome Goals can become our enemy is when we try to derive all our daily motivation and satisfaction from them.  They can taunt us and make us feel like failures.  If we have really set some big goals, they can sometimes seem overwhelming and impossible to achieve.  I would even say that if your outcome goal doesn’t challenge your current ability and creativity, it isn’t big enough!

Outcome Goals need a great partner to make them effective; Process Goals.  A process goal is a specific, achievable short term outcome (usually daily).  “What can I accomplish TODAY?” is the question answered by a process goal.  Process goals move us immediately into action.  They give us clear achievable outcomes for today.  They remove all procrastination and excuse. 

For example, you might have an outcome goal to increase your sales $1,000,000 over the next three years.  That may be a great OUTCOME goal that inspires you to plan and change your direction.  Now what you need to add to that wonderful goal is a great PROCESS goal like “Set one appointment with a new prospective customer today”.  Let your long term OUTCOME goal create daily achievable PROCESS goals.  PROCESS goals turn you into a winner every day.  They build a daily sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, and should occupy most of our attention.  So set three goals for every day that will take you a few steps closer toward your dreams, and DO IT.