|
As a recovering perfectionist and former competitive athlete, it feels so weird to say that winning isn't everything. But if you've ever wanted something so badly that the outcome became the only thing that mattered, keep reading.  In this blog, I'm covering the difference between results-based goals and process-based goals, and why shifting your focus might change everything. My Son's Sports Season My son had a great couple of weeks, winning the championship for his baseball league and the championship game for his flag football team. Then he was playing with his all-star baseball team. They were losing, they came back, but didn’t win the game in the end. During the game, they were all down, and that was the main conversation with the coaches afterward: you can't get down on yourself; you gotta pick your head up and keep going. On the way home, I asked him, "Did you have fun?" He said, "Not really." I realized then that much of his fun was tied to winning. It really opened up an important conversation between us and was a really good opportunity for a lesson. Yes, winning is fun. Winning feels good. Winning sometimes gets you rewards, trophies, and such. But winning is not everything. I said to him, “Sports are also about fun, friendship, fitness, and developing your skills”. The thing I really want him to know is that there is joy in just the doing. Joy is not only reserved for when you win. My Emerging Artist Showcase This also makes me think about my recent emerging artist showcase for my one-woman show. It was a 10-minute showcase to industry experts and leaders. Some of the other people told me (because I have zero theatre background) that usually there is a cash prize at the end, either everyone votes and there's a winner, or there's the reward of getting booked. I was like, "Oh, I don't want the pressure of any of those, because those are results-based goals." I was very happy that there was actually an honorarium for everyone involved, everyone who pitched, so there wasn't one big prize. Everyone got a little bit, and it took the pressure off. It shifted it from a results-based goal (landing my show in a theatre or a residency or winning the prize) to a process-based goal. It allowed me to focus on:
Having a process-based goal took the pressure off. Results-Based Goals vs. Process-Based Goals Results-Based Goals These are focused on the outcome:
These goals can be super motivating because they're clear, focused, and they push you. But you're not always fully in control of these situations. Other people, others' timing, circumstances, competition, and luck can all affect the outcome. In my theatre example, who is in the room also makes a difference. I can't control that. In sports, you can't control the refs or the umps. Results-based goals can put a lot of pressure on you, and sadly, there's only one winner. What I saw on that day with my son losing that game was that he felt unhappy that he didn't win, because he didn't get the result he wanted, and he didn't have a good time. He couldn't enjoy it. That was just really sad. Process-Based Goals These focus on how you show up and the pieces leading up to the result. These are the things that are in your control.  Rather than "I have to win this game," maybe it's:
Other things you can control:
After the game, it was really cool to see the big team meeting where they were told you can't let a few runs cause you to put your head down and get down on yourself. You have to stay positive. You can still come back. You can still win. I heard the coach say to one of the kids, "Hey, it was really great how positive you were out there. That was being a good leader. Nice job. Keep it up." I love that the player was acknowledged for their attitude. Sometimes just staying committed to something, even when it's hard. With my emerging artist showcase, I could have thought along the way, "This is too hard. I can't do this. I'm not as good as everyone who's gone to theatre school or has already done lots of shows." I could have given up. But I stayed committed, even though it felt hard, even through late nights, even while still running a business, trying to keep my house clean and feed my kids. These are the things that are going to help you grow, regardless of whether you win or lose. Applying This to Business We can become obsessed with results-based goals in business:
But when we look at process-based goals, we can control them. We can enjoy the process and can win at that. Instead of "How many people registered," it's: "I'm going to put in this strategy, get it done by these dates, and then review it, monitor it, and do our best." Instead of "Did the launch work, did we fill the program?" it's: "Did I even just make the invitation? Did I improve my copywriting skills in my email funnel? Did I improve the offer when it wasn't selling as well?" Instead of "Did they say yes," it's: "Did I put in the right sales strategy on this call? Did I follow up afterwards? Did I educate them? Did I learn something? Did I stay consistent?" Other Areas of Life Health: Instead of "I'm going to lose 20 pounds," it's "I'm going to eat better according to this way of eating, drink water, and go to the gym three times a week." Then hopefully you get that results-based goal. You can actually have both going at the same time. Love life: If you want the result to be finding the man of your dreams and marrying them, that's a big goal. What if the process was just "I'm going to put myself out there, tell people I'm looking for someone, and go on some dates"? That's a process-based goal you can control. The Bigger Message Yes, results matter. We know they do. They are the SMART goals, the quantifiers. However, process goals can also be quantified. They can also be things we follow and measure. But results-based goals can't be the only measure of success.  Otherwise, my son would think that every time the team loses, there's no success in that, no joy in that. Also, he hit a good hit, but they caught it. The other team catching the ball and making him out doesn't change the fact that he made a good hit. However, he felt that way. If we're only allowed to feel success when we're winning, we miss out on so many things along the way that we can be proud of, celebrate, see grow us, and learn from and apply to something else. Process goals allow you to celebrate your progress along the way. The importance is that it helps you stay motivated, because you can win every day. In a sports season, you might be playing for two months, then you have the playoffs. You could be training for four years for the Olympics. If you're only motivated by the gold medal or the trophy at the end or the big paycheck, you're really missing out. You can build your confidence during the process because you're able to really manage and focus on what you can control. Questions to Ask Yourself Where are you only measuring the result, and what process goals could you focus on instead? It might be more motivating to say "I'm going to make an offer every day" or "I'm going to hire someone to help me with my next launch" rather than "I want to make an extra $10,000 a month." The last question I'm going to leave you with: What would make you proud even if the result doesn't go your way? Even if you don't win, what would still make you proud? That's a powerful question. Yes, winning is wonderful. Yes, I love winning. Yes, I'm super competitive and always want to get that result. But it's not the only thing that matters. The real win might be who you become in the process of achieving the result. So this week, this month, choose one process goal you can control and celebrate that. If you get the result, then that's just icing on the cake. Until next time, stay dynamic!
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
June 2026
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed