The Two Goals You Need to Succeed

Figuring out the goals you need to succeed can feel like trying to hit a bullseye with your eyes closed. 

Goal Setting

The truth is that for lots of people, when they even think about goal setting, they start to feel like a failure even before they begin. Have you ever thought “I’m just not good at goals” or “I don’t know what I want” or “I don’t know where to start.” Friend, you are so not alone in this. 

Setting goals can feel overwhelming or even worse, self-defeating.  When I work with clients I want them to recognize that they are capable of not only setting goals, but of achieving those goals as well.  To do this we use two types of goals that I am going to share here with you. We identify their specific goals together and then set up a plan moving forward.

How you think about goals

And just like I do with my clients, let’s first take a look at how we are thinking about goal setting. Because how you think about a goal will significantly impact how you move towards that goal to complete it. In my experience, people view goals as things that need to be big, huge and massive which make us feel like we have to be knocked down in order for it to count. 

If we think about goals this way, it’s no wonder we feel dread when it comes time to setting them, and even worse, attempting to succeed at them. Viewing goals from this perspective is encouraging a mindset of defeat. And that does not align with the fact that I know you are capable of achieving your goals!

What if we took a different perspective? Maybe one that you haven’t used before. How does it feel if I tell you that goals get to represent something you really want & get to be easy. Feels good to think this way, doesn’t it? This is goal setting with a mindset of growth. And what we are going to dive into together. 

Remember, goals are not something to be afraid of, they are a tool to help you get what you want. They are there to support you. 

Try on these new thoughts.

• Goals get to work for me
• Setting goals frees me up to know where to focus
• I get to figure out what I want
• I get to start with an easy first step

With these new thoughts in mind, let’s set some goals! There are two kinds of goals to make each month.

The first of 2 goals you need to succeed is an outcome goal

An outcome goal focuses on the desired result. It answers the question, “What do you want?”

You may want to lose 10 pounds, purchase a better car, have a budget or to go on more vacations.  Maybe you want to have three kids, a house, and make ten thousand dollars a month. These are all outcome goals. These are things at the end of a path. Outcome goals are the results.

Oftentimes an outcome goal can feel out of your control or like a wish.  It can feel like it’s a huge leap, like it is unattainable.  However, to think it just happens is magical thinking as if you can leap from the beginning of the path to the end of the path.  Outcome goals are incredibly important.  They turn dreams into plans. And it’s necessary to recognize that that’s not the only kind of goal we have. We get to have the outcome goal and we pair those with our process goals. 

The second of 2 goals you need to succeed is a process goal

A process goal identifies an action that will lead you toward a result. And while the outcome goal answers the question,  “What do you want?”, the process goal answers the question, “How are you going to get it?” Process goals are the little steps that get us to the result desired in our outcome goals. 

These are the little steps that are mini goals in and of themselves. It’s a specific task or action done over and over which leads to the outcome.  Examples of process goals are things like adjusting food choices to cut out sugar, talking with your spouse or researching neighborhoods for a new house.If your outcome goal is to feel more fit a process goal might be 10 bicep curls a day. It is something that you get to practice, that you get to do. Whether or not you have toned arms depends on your willingness and commitment to show up daily for your process goal. 

You cannot succeed with your outcome goal without also having and doing a process goal. 

My challenge to you is this, start small.  Look at the month ahead. Think of an outcome goal that you would love to achieve.  And then break it down into three to four smaller process goals that you can easily accomplish in the four weeks ahead. 

Your goals get to be easy. You deserve to reach your goals.  You deserve a life that is designed by you!