Everyone says: “Focus on the Process.”
The best coaches all preach process.
Why?
Here's why everyone preaches focus on the process, what we get wrong, and how to apply the concepts in your life:
The best coaches all preach process.
Why?
Here's why everyone preaches focus on the process, what we get wrong, and how to apply the concepts in your life:
Good things take time.
When we focus on outcomes instead of process it results in a few things:
1. Puts time pressure on us shifting us to quick fixes and shortcuts
2. Pushes us towards a focus on the external. Extrinsic rewards/motivation and comparison to others
When we focus on outcomes instead of process it results in a few things:
1. Puts time pressure on us shifting us to quick fixes and shortcuts
2. Pushes us towards a focus on the external. Extrinsic rewards/motivation and comparison to others
Both of those may work in short term but backfire over the long haul.
Decades of research show better performance comes when intrinsic motivation is the driver.
We’re playing a 9-inning game. Yet, we often feel like we’re always in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs. We’re not.
Decades of research show better performance comes when intrinsic motivation is the driver.
We’re playing a 9-inning game. Yet, we often feel like we’re always in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs. We’re not.
Good results take consistency, not heroic efforts.
A focus on outcomes pushes us towards heroic efforts. The big workout, launch, or sales push. But success isn’t determined by a great day. It comes from stacking month after month of solid days.
Consistency compounds.
A focus on outcomes pushes us towards heroic efforts. The big workout, launch, or sales push. But success isn’t determined by a great day. It comes from stacking month after month of solid days.
Consistency compounds.
Don't take my word for it.
A new meta-analysis on the impact of goal setting on performance found:
1. Process goals had a large effect on performance
2. Performance goals had a moderate effect
3. Outcome goals had a negligible effect
tandfonline.com
A new meta-analysis on the impact of goal setting on performance found:
1. Process goals had a large effect on performance
2. Performance goals had a moderate effect
3. Outcome goals had a negligible effect
tandfonline.com
In the classroom, the story is the same.
Outcome orientation is linked to grades.
But it also increases avoidance motivation.
So you may get better grades on a test, but your motivation shifts, which harms you over the long haul
Outcome orientation is linked to grades.
But it also increases avoidance motivation.
So you may get better grades on a test, but your motivation shifts, which harms you over the long haul
A mastery approach in the classroom works to help improve grades, but indirectly.
It increases interest and enjoyment, as well as challenge-seeking.
Our performance improves because we've improved the foundational components that keep us motivated & approaching hard challenges.
It increases interest and enjoyment, as well as challenge-seeking.
Our performance improves because we've improved the foundational components that keep us motivated & approaching hard challenges.
What does it mean to focus on the process? Simple
1. Set a hard but just manageable goal
2. Figure out what steps it takes to achieve that goal
3. Largely forget the goal and focus on completing the steps
1. Set a hard but just manageable goal
2. Figure out what steps it takes to achieve that goal
3. Largely forget the goal and focus on completing the steps
Even with that mindset, there will always be a pull toward an outcome focus.
Here are some strategies to prevent the pull:
1. Let things happen instead of always trying to make them happen. Forcing often backfires.y.
Here are some strategies to prevent the pull:
1. Let things happen instead of always trying to make them happen. Forcing often backfires.y.
Just look at sports, when we try to force ourselves to run faster or swinging a club harder, we tense up and our performance plummets.
Relax to win.
Do the work, practice, then let your body do its thing
Relax to win.
Do the work, practice, then let your body do its thing
2. Focus on small steps for big gains:
Consistency over time is what we’re after. Not heroic efforts.
Consistency over time is what we’re after. Not heroic efforts.
3. Stop one rep short.
You can only go to the well so many times. In work and exercise, push yourself but stop a rep or two before exhaustion. That’s where the biggest gains are.
You can only go to the well so many times. In work and exercise, push yourself but stop a rep or two before exhaustion. That’s where the biggest gains are.
4. See your pursuits as a journey or quest instead of a destination.
The goal is to get better. Part of being on a journey is knowing you'll take some wrong turns.
The goal is to get better. Part of being on a journey is knowing you'll take some wrong turns.
5. Define what you can control and focus on that.
Too often, when we focus on outcomes, we get caught up worrying about things we can't control.
We get frustrated and sabotage our motivation because we aren't making an impact.
Focus on what you can control.
Too often, when we focus on outcomes, we get caught up worrying about things we can't control.
We get frustrated and sabotage our motivation because we aren't making an impact.
Focus on what you can control.
6. Don't go at it alone.
Enlist a community to walk the path with you.
A community is a buffer against stress. It also stokes your motivational fire.
Enlist a community to walk the path with you.
A community is a buffer against stress. It also stokes your motivational fire.
7. Focus on what is directly in front of you, not how you stack up or what others are doing.
Focusing on others pulls you away from the task at hand. It pushes you into comparison mode.
Resist the urge to constantly compare.
Focusing on others pulls you away from the task at hand. It pushes you into comparison mode.
Resist the urge to constantly compare.
8. Remember to find joy
As one friend told me:
“I performed best when I wasn’t worried about if I would succeed, rather I was seeing what was possible, and simply learning and adjusting if I fell short. I was pursuing it out of joy. That’s where the magic was.”
As one friend told me:
“I performed best when I wasn’t worried about if I would succeed, rather I was seeing what was possible, and simply learning and adjusting if I fell short. I was pursuing it out of joy. That’s where the magic was.”
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this thread:
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