Progress: 1 step @ a time.
We all have goals of some type, but how often do we accomplish them? Having a goal, while being an essential first step towards progress, isn’t the difference maker that separates successes and failures. Developing a system of outcome and behavior goals is key to long-term progress. Outcome goals are the results you want to achieve. Behavior goals are focused on daily actions within your control. Outcome goals, unlike behavior goals, are rarely in your daily control or actionable, yet they are result of a system of habits (consistently repeated behaviors) over time.
OUTCOME | BEHAVIOR 1 | BEHAVIOR 2 | BEHAVIOR 3 |
Lose Weight | Exercise 4-6 hours / week | Sleep 7-9 hours / day | Avoid over-eating (~80%) |
Save Money | Budget for necessary spending. | Delay discretionary purchases. | Automate transfers to savings. |
Personal Development | Create time for meditation. | Start a journal for gratitude or reflection. | Read daily. |
Focusing on consistently repeating behaviors such as sleeping 7-9 hours per day over the course of time would all but guarantee progress towards your outcome goal of losing weight. We should be more concerned with our daily behaviors, as they compound throughout time, rather than putting all our attention to our future goal. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process of daily behaviors that will determine your progress towards your outcome.
References
Clear, James. (2018) Atomic Habits. Penguin Random House, LLC.
Berardi, J., Andrews, R., St. Pierre, B., Scott-Dixon, K., Kollias, H., DePutter, C. (2018). Certification Manual: The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition, 3rd Edition. Precision Nutrition, Inc.
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