The Process IS The Goal

Whether you begin your lifestyle changes as a New Years Resolution, due to a health scare, to improve your body shape and confidence or decided it will simply now be a priority I want to offer this piece of advice.

The process IS the goal.

What do I mean by that?

In order to become the person we want to be we need to do the things that person does.

If you want to start a family the process should be to have a lot of sex and track your menstrual cycle to lay the odds in you and your partners favour. Becoming pregnant is the outcome of consistently hitting the goal of regular sex. Without sex there is no pregnancy. No process, no goal.

If you want to be 2 stone lighter, for example, you need to ask yourself what that person does to maintain that weight.

Chances are they will eat healthily 80% of the time, get adequate amounts of sleep (7-9hrs per night), lead an active lifestyle and exercise consistently at an intensity that causes their body to become stronger and fitter.

The goal is not to lose weight. It’s to do the things that lead to the weight loss. The weight loss is the outcome of consistently engaging in the process.

Your goals could be:

• To eat 2 portions of vegatables with each meal
• Drink minimum of 2l of water per day
• Go for a 30 minute brisk walk 4 times per week

These goals, if completed may lead to the overall outcome of weight loss.

If you have set a goal to gain muscle for example you need to then ask yourself HOW you achieve that. What does the process look like?

• Complete a resistance training session 3-4 times per week.
• Consume at least 1g of protein per kg per day (for arguments sake).
• Hit a calorie target of 200cals above maintenance.

You could then break down each of the above points further:

• Purchase a training program from a local PT to follow for accountability.
• Plan your nutrition for each week on Sunday and get your grocery shopping done.
• Work with a nutritioninst/dietician and calculate calorie intake and begin tracking

Once the process is mapped out it becomes easier to assess whether or not they are working by measuring the outcome goal. If you are seeing your weight decrease and body shape improve then the process is working.

If not, change the process, implement the changes for a set amount of time and reassess. The goal never changes but the process might have to depending on results.

If your destination on a car journey in not reached, you may have taken a wrong turn. You don’t give up and go home. You change course and keep aiming for your final destination.

Don’t focus on the goal.

Focus on the steps needed to get there.

Mark.

PS – If you like what you’ve read I’d love a share to your timeline or even email pribately to a friend it may resonate with. I, and they, will really appreciate it.