Musings | Mindful Goal Setting
“New goals don’t deliver new results. New lifestyles do. And a lifestyle is a process, not an outcome. For this reason, your energy should go into building better habits, not chasing better results”
When we have a goal, we are generally focused on the outcome – of what we want to achieve. However, to get to the finish line (i.e., goal achievement), you are better off being focused on the process, one step at a time, instead of focusing on the outcome. Taking small, consistent actions each day or week and concentrating on the process of goal achievement will yield more and better results than one that is focused only on the outcome. This process-focused approach is a mindful approach to goal setting. Mindful goal setting helps us embrace the process and hold our goals without emotional attachment to the outcome. For more on this approach and how to do it, check out the notes below based on the article, GAP Goals: A More Mindful Approach to Goal-Setting.
First, Why Outcome-Based Goals are Tough
According to the University of Scranton, only eight percent of people stick to their New Year’s goals. That means 92 percent of us never meet the goals we set for ourselves (at least the ones associated with New Year’s resolutions)
Goals are usually measured by one thing – the outcome (i.e., I will lose 50 pounds, I will gain 500 followers on Instagram, I will save $100 a month), and there is no system for measuring the progress made as we work towards the outcome
Our self-worth is linked to the outcome – if we achieve our goal, we are successful; if we don’t, we have failed
Outcome-goals create a dangerous “if-then” contingency situation that removes us from the present and focuses on a future moment when we anticipate that the goal achievement will bring us happiness. (i.e., when I lose 50 pounds, I will be happy and confident)
Mindful Goals – A Better Way Forward
Mindful goals detach our focus from future results because we become focused on the present and gain fulfillment through small and consistent steps towards the end goal each day versus being focused on one main end goal sometime in the future. Mindful goal setting enables us to celebrate frequent small successes and adapt when things don’t go as planned. Mindful goal setting involves inputs, outputs, logs, and milestones (we will use losing weight as an example to demonstrate these elements).
Inputs: The small and consistent steps through which growth happens (i.e., the number of exercise sessions each week)
Outputs: Your output focuses your attention on your inputs. In this example, your input is the number of sessions in a week; your output is how much time you spend at each session
Logs: tracking your inputs and outputs to create a visual of your progress and creating an awareness of your work or productivity
Milestones: Milestones represent points of progress you can celebrate along the way to your primary outcome. Instead of stating a goal of losing 30 pounds in 12 months, your new plan may be to work out four days a week for 45 minutes each day. You can then celebrate getting your sessions in each week and as well as losing 5 pounds, then 10, then 15, etc., until you reach your ultimate goal.
Mindful goal-setting removes our emotional attachment to the outcome, helps us be present and enjoy ourselves in our day-to-day activities, and creates opportunities for frequent celebrations of success. Got spring goals? Give this alternative approach a try!