Written by: Moira Hutchison, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Would you choose a vacation destination and then sit around your house until it was time to go back to work? If that sounds daft, think about the times you thought about losing weight or finding a more fulfilling project but didn’t take the steps necessary to achieve what you wanted.
In the vacation scenario, a strategy may not be a big deal because your motivation is high, and obstacles are few. However, when you are pursuing more challenging goals, it is important to think about the process as well as the outcomes.
Enjoy more success by changing your approach to goal setting. Learn more about process goals and how to use them.
Setting Process Goals:
1. Focus on behavior.
You are most likely familiar with outcome goals that describe results, like managing your blood pressure. However, it can be difficult to make progress unless you also set process goals for the related steps, like cutting back on salt and exercising regularly. 2. Learn from experience.
Your past triumphs provide a foundation to build upon. Identify your strengths and the tactics that work for you. 3. Clarify your expectations.
Analyzing your goals gives you an opportunity to consider whether they will really provide the benefits you are intending. For example, if you are trying to build your self-esteem, you may decide to cancel quick-fix, fad diet and enroll in a workshop instead. 4. Be specific.
Precise goals are easier to visualize, giving you more motivation and a clearer sense of direction. Identify your top priorities and express your thoughts in the simplest language possible. 5. Face reality.
Ask yourself if you can achieve your goals. For example, you may discover that you need to earn an additional certification before you can apply for a more senior position. 6. Think positive.
Use your goals to describe things you want in your life rather than things you’re trying to avoid. It’s more fun and effective.
Implementing Process Goals:
1. Combine your goals.
Process goals complement your outcome goals rather than replace them. When you put them together, you can see the big picture and pay attention to the details. 2. Break things down.
If your final goal is a long way off, you may need to create shorter-term objectives to strive for. Each victory will reinforce your commitment, especially if you find satisfying ways to reward yourself for your efforts. 3. Evaluate your progress.
Measurable goals enable you to assess how you are advancing. You might keep a journal or use a checklist to mark off the tasks that you have completed. 4. Overcome obstacles.
What if you are falling behind? Planning for contingencies will help you deal with unexpected events that come between you and your goals. For example, you could keep running each day by switching to an indoor track if your local park is buried in snow.
5. Recover from relapses.
What if you temporarily abandoned your goals, but you are determined to bounce back? Let go of guilt and give yourself credit for making a fresh start. Work on making changes that will help you stay on track. 6. Change your environment.
Your surroundings play a major role in your ability to reach your goals. It will be easier to enjoy good quality sleep if you replace your sagging mattress and move your television out of your bedroom. 7. Seek support.
Social support and professional support are also the key ingredients for success. Let your family, friends, coach, or mentor know how they can help you.
Process goals help you to focus on the things you can control and give you a solid plan. Create the life you want by setting meaningful goals and taking the necessary actions to reach them.
For more information and tips on accessing your inner guidance to align with YOUR best success, follow Moira on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, join her Facebook Community, or visit her website!
Moira Hutchison, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
As an Intuition Cultivator and Mindset Mentor, Moira Hutchison guides her clients to access the inherent power they have available when they ignite their personal trinity of trust, inner awareness, and self-confidence. Moira works with professionals who feel that there is something better in life for them, but they have no idea how to access it. However, they have a yearning to be guided by their intuition and align with their unique calling. What makes her distinctive and different in this work is that she has developed the ability to take complex energetic, and spiritual ideas and interpret them in ways that people find easy to understand, integrate and implement.
