When it comes to goals, get set, this was my three-step approach for years. I’d reach for the moon, hoping to land among the stars without suffering the agony of falling.
As a result of this all-or-nothing mentality, I endured a lot of burnout and had almost no productivity. In other words, my job list was full of high-level goals, but I hadn’t taken the time to map out how to get there.
Because I didn’t grasp the process goals or have any examples to follow, I became lost during the planning stages.
Since then, I’ve learned to enjoy the ride and break down my end goals into smaller, more doable process goals.
Because I’m now working toward a guaranteed strategy that will get me where I want to go––I’m establishing a plan of action with attainable daily targets––this approach has increased my attention and lessened my frustration (a process goal).
1. What Is a Process Goal?
A process objective is not a destination; rather, it is the route you want to take to get there. If you want to improve your writing, for example, your process objective might be to publish one blog article per week and learn from the criticism you receive. The goal is to write 12 articles per month.
This distinction is critical since it’s easy to overlook the reality that these objectives aren’t all or nothing. Consider that for a moment. It’s been stated that working smart, not hard, is the key to success.
Well, a process goal is an actionable target with what we call SMART criteria:
- Specific: The more specific your objective, the better. You might say, “I want to shed five pounds,” instead of “I want to be fit.” Make certain your objective is very clear.
- Measurable: You’ll need a mechanism to track your progress and performance, so make it quantifiable. This is the point at which you determine what “fit” means to you (more on this later).
- Achievable: A goal that isn’t tough isn’t going to motivate you. If you want significant results, however, you’ll need to climb a steeper mountain.
- Realistic: For most people, “I wish to run a marathon” is unrealistic for them. Make sure you have the time, energy, and resources (such as a training program) to reach your goals.
- Time-Constrained – If you don’t set a timeframe for your objective, it will remain a pipe dream. There’s nothing wrong with fantasising, but what happens when your daydream comes to an end?
To summarise, each process goal must be explicit, measurable, feasible within a reasonable time range, and realistic.
2. What Is a Destination Goal?
A destination goal is a certain time when you intend to visit a specific location. If your aim is to represent your country at the 2025 Summer Olympics, for example, you should focus on smaller steps to achieve that success.
You should concentrate on lesser locations on your journey to that goal. Make the national team first. Then participate in a couple of events and so forth.
It would be too difficult to get to the Olympics from the beginning without any milestones along the road. Focusing on each milestone as a destination goal, on the other hand, makes everything appear realistic and achievable.
3. Process Goal Template
Let’s imagine you wish to improve your cooking skills. Here’s an example of how to write the process goal: “Cooking all of my meals at home for 12 weeks will save me $100 per week.” This would be your monthly destination, and the weekly actions to get there would be as follows:
- Spend one hour on Sunday planning my meals for the week.
- Shop for groceries after work on Monday and Tuesday nights.
- Cook all meals at home on Wednesdays through Sundays.
- Pack my lunch for work on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Save $100 per week in cash by cooking at home.
This process objective will show you how to save money by planning, shopping, cooking, packing your own lunch, and experimenting with new recipes. It also provides a weekly incentive (a $100 cash savings) to keep you motivated.
Process goals motivate you to achieve your ultimate objectives. You get sustainability and confidence to move forward when you feel that you can accomplish little tasks along the way.
Process goals are similar to faith in many ways. Each achievement brings you closer to realizing the completeness of the life you want––it clears the fog and makes things more clear.
4. What Questions Helped Me Find My Process Goals?
After years of setting big objectives and becoming progressively irritated when I didn’t receive the outcomes I want, I decided to rethink my strategy.
There are a variety of approaches you can take, but here is how I went about it. I asked myself the following questions last year:
- So, what exactly am I doing right now?
- What can I do to improve?
- Is this process goal bringing me closer to my long-term objectives?
My process goals were formed by the decisions I took based on the answers to these questions. When I wanted to give up and throw in the towel, they were the driving force that kept me motivated and pushing on.
Since then, I’ve been able to achieve lifelong ambitions that I had previously given up on. For example, I was able to secure a publishing contract, expand my digital product line, and enjoy the moment.
I was fighting to get out of bed until I broke down my goals into smaller ones. I was stuck in a rut because of my never-ending to-do list. Now, I look forward to getting up every morning and tackling minor projects in order to get beneficial results.
5. What Are Some Process Goals You Can Try?
So, now that you know why process goals are important, let’s get started with some examples you can use this week:
- Enroll in a new class.
- By Thursday, you should have completed one section of your project.
- Instead of running a mile, start walking around the block.
- Spend 30 minutes every day journaling to improve your writing.
- Examine your interviewing abilities.
- This week, read at least one book from the library.
- Every day before you go for work, do ten push-ups.
You get my drift. These process objectives don’t have to be difficult to achieve. If anything, you want to break down your ideas so that they feel simple or at the very least attainable without requiring a week off.
You can accomplish a lot more in a shorter period of time if you split your goals into smaller chunks. You’ll also have more faith in your ability to accomplish something right now. It’s difficult to keep going when your goal appears to be too far away.
You must rejoice in the minor victories and accept the process.
6. What Do You Need for Process Goals?
Consider how much money and time you’ve spent on new clothes, books, and gadgets. Many of us desire to stay on top of the latest trends and buy the greatest Apple or Microsoft products. However, all of these additional investments come at a high cost.
To discover your process goals, you may have to bravely address some uncomfortable feelings or experiences. To reach your overall goals, you may need to forego the new wardrobe or the latest Mac computer. [1]
Remember that the process goal will not only keep you from becoming overwhelmed but will also keep you from becoming distracted.
Final Thoughts
When trying to set a process goal, you may feel overwhelmed at first. Simply thinking about change can cause stress hormones to spike, leading to even more worry and anxiety.
However, if you stay focused and take modest efforts in the right way, you’ll quickly find that achieving your objectives doesn’t have to be difficult.
You may accomplish your process goals one day at a time, beginning today by breaking down your overall goal into smaller steps.
It makes no difference whether the procedure takes a week or six months; what counts is that you’re making progress and improving yourself.