Creating both process and outcome goals for your business can take energy and time. You will be glad you did and here is why.
Introduction
When it comes to planning for our business, many of us focus on the end result – the outcome we want to achieve; the destination to which we are headed. But what about the journey itself? The steps we take to get there? That’s where process goals come in. In this post, we’ll explore the difference between process and outcome goals, and why both are crucial for a successful plan and achieving success.
Outcome Goals
Outcome goals are the specific, measurable results we want to achieve. They’re the destinations we’re heading towards. Examples of include:
- Increasing sales by 20% in the next quarter
- Landing a major client
- Publishing a book
Outcome goals give us direction and motivation. They help us stay focused on what we want to achieve and give us a sense of accomplishment when we reach them.
Process Goals
Process goals, on the other hand, are the actions we take to achieve our outcome goals. They’re the steps we need to take to get to our destination. Examples include:
- Spending 2 hours each day prospecting for new clients
- Writing 500 words each day to meet a book deadline
- Implementing a new marketing strategy to increase sales
Process goals help us stay on track and make progress towards our outcome goals. They give us a sense of control and agency, and help us develop new skills and habits.
Why Both are Important
So, why do we need both process and outcome goals? Here are a few reasons:
- Outcome goals give us direction, but don’t define the task to get there.
- Process goals give us momentum. Without them, we can get stuck in analysis paralysis or procrastination.
- Process goals help us take action and make progress.
- Process goals help us develop new skills and habits: By focusing on the actions we need to take, we can develop new skills and habits that help us achieve our outcome goals.
- Outcome goals can be outside of our control, but process goals are within our control: Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can’t control the result. But we can always control the actions we take to get there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, accomplishing our goals and a successful plan requires focussing on both the journey and the destination. Knowing our destination gives us direction and motivation. Enjoying and focussing on the journey helps us take action and make progress. By setting both types of goals, we can stay focused, motivated, and in control of our journey to success. Remember, it’s not just about the destination – it’s about the journey itself.
