When January rolls around many gyms are flooded with new members striving to reach their goals. Sadly, many of these people give up before March! Grand goals to lose 50 pounds, exercise every day, and start a new extreme diet rarely pan out. This is because many athletes focus solely on the outcome rather than the process. Making the shift to setting process-oriented goals can be a game changer for your performance and body composition!
An outcome-oriented goal is one focused on the end result. Losing 20 pounds, deadlifting 300 pounds, and doing one pull-up are all examples of an outcome goal. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with these goals, it can be hard for people to get from point A (their starting point) to point B (the goal). Without breaking the goal into smaller actionable steps, the gap between A and B can grow seemingly larger and increasingly unachievable. This leads to a cycle of initial enthusiasm, several well-intentioned attempts, disappointment, and then the same goal being written down each new year. Behavior change is hard no matter how little or large the habit, but it is the first step in moving closer to your goals!
A process-oriented goal is focused on the steps you take to get to the end result. Breaking down those same goals may look something like this:
Want to lose 20 pounds? Start by setting a minimum number of workouts per week and stick to it. Then take a look at your nutrition and find a few small things you can change. Maybe it’s eating more protein or limiting late night snacking. Make it so small that you know you can nail it!
Want to deadlift 300 pounds? Commit to a training program with progressive overload. Follow that program for at least 12 weeks. Hire a coach to analyze your technique. Stick to the process and the results will come!
Want to perform your first unassisted pull-up? Stay after your workout and practice your banded pull-ups and TRX Rows. Do 2-3 sets and add reps each week. Improve your body composition and make it easier to pull yourself up. Again, make it easy to follow and stick to it!
When implemented correctly, the mindset shift from outcome-oriented to process-oriented goals can have a huge impact on your health and performance. The path to achieving grand goals starts with all the small decisions you make and the habits you create daily. Try breaking your big goals down and setting simple, easy to achieve process-oriented goals. This will make your goals feel less daunting, allowing you to experience success and make more progress than ever! As always, the coaches at Paradigm Sport are here to help! Not sure how to design that training program for a PR? Try following one of our strength programs or taking our powerlifting class. Not sure what nutritional habit changes you need to make? Try scheduling a nutrition consult to go over exactly what you need to do. Take the next step, make those small changes, and conquer your 2019 goals!
