GOAL SETTING

Dec 30, 2022

There are 2 types of goals:

  • SMART Goals
  • Process Goals

Depending on your personality type will depend on which goal works best for you, and then the question also is, does it really work best for you?

SMART goals or Specific goals can work more extrinsically, striving for the end result & the gratification of achieving the end result.  What these kinds of goals can lead to if you fall off the wagon or don’t achieve them :

  • A feeling of failure
  • Becoming a slave to the achievement of goals for achievement’s sake
  • Judging yourself
  • Burnout
  • Anxiety
  • Dissatisfaction
  • Depression
  • Low self-esteem
  • Returning to bad habits once goal achieved

I’m not saying this happens for everyone, SMART goals can work really well for those personalities that strive under pressure OR if done in combination with the 2nd type of goal – process goals!

PROCESS goals as the title suggest, focus on the process rather than the end goal, achieving the end goal is not the main focus, how you get there is.  What these types of goals lead to are:

  • Create habits
  • Continuous accomplishment as you follow the process
  • More intrinsic accomplishment every day rather than just an end result “a love of doing the work involved” and “ relishing in the process of getting better”
  • No judgement on whether you achieve the goal, you are learning & creating new habits by focusing on the journey
  • Long-term performance well-being & fulfilment.

These 2 types of goals seeing can be combined though. 

  • Set your SMART goals
  •  Set the steps to achieving your goal that is within your control – this is the process.
  • Forget about the goal & focus on the process & nailing it!

Process goals take back control, turning your focus on something you can achieve!

Things to remember when on your journey:

  • Forget failure!! Move on! It’s done, it’s history! No point dwelling on it, LEARN FROM IT, and do better next time/tomorrow!
  • Focus on the process!
  • Don’t lose sight of the inner reason you set the goal
  • Big Hairy Audacious Goals!! Break them down, make micro goals, set the steps to each of them (the process), and make sure the process fits into your life & not the other way round (life fitting around the process) forget about the BGAG, the process will get you there!
  • Don’t drop the good habits you have gained once you achieve your goals.
  • Don’t judge yourself on whether you accomplish a goal, look at what you have learnt/achieved on that journey!
  • Judge yourself on how well you execute the process.
  • Develop a process mindset.

So as we go into a new year & you think about new year resolutions, make your SMART goals BUT more importantly put the steps in place – THE PROCESS!!

Things to think about when building the steps:

  • Work out your time for work (also travel time there & back).
  • Time for family & social.
  • Preparing food/cooking/eating/clearing away.
  • Chilling
  • Sleeping (don’t cut this short 7-9hrs)
  • Walking pets.
  • Anything else I’ve missed.

Then what is left of your day is your training time.  Working this way will make the process more achievable & more enjoyable & more likely to become a habit & a new lifestyle!