II used to set goals like a guy who just read one self-help book and thought he had life figured out.
“Lose 20 pounds.” “Save more money.” “Read 50 books in a year.”
And you know what happened? Exactly what happens to 92% of New Year’s resolutions—absolutely nothing.
Or worse, I’d sprint out of the gate full of energy, only to burn out, get frustrated, and quit because I wasn’t seeing immediate results.
Turns out, the problem wasn’t my goals—it was my approach. I had plenty of experience setting goals I’d abandoned: journaling, meditating, budgeting. Every time, I’d start with enthusiasm, but I had no real plan to keep going. But when I finally changed my approach, everything changed.
The First Time Process Goals Clicked for Me
The first time process goals truly hit home was when I got frustrated with my lack of progress in fitness.
For years, I would set a goal to gain muscle mass and lose body fat. I’d start off strong, but then I’d stop making progress, get discouraged, and eventually fall off track.
One year, I decided to change my approach. Instead of chasing an end result, I set a simpler process goal: work out 3 days a week for a year.
Now, I knew exactly what I had to do. No more questioning my progress or feeling lost—I just had to show up and hit my weekly goal.
The unexpected bonus? It made me consistent. And consistency, I learned, is the real secret to success.
That’s when I realized—my problem wasn’t the goal itself. It was how I was measuring success.
Why Most Goals Set You Up for Failure
Setting a goal like “lose 20 pounds” sounds great, but it’s like staring at the summit of Everest without a climbing plan.
- How are you getting there?
- What’s the daily action?
- What happens if progress is slow?
Most people set goals like they’re microwaving a burrito—rushed, uneven, and often disappointing. Process goals, though? They’re more like a slow-cooked meal—steady heat over time makes all the difference.
Most people fail because they focus on the finish line instead of the steps. But what if you stopped chasing results and instead just focused on showing up?
The problem with result-driven goals is that they focus on the outcome, not the system. And when progress feels slow, it’s easy to lose steam.
Process Goals: The Secret to Sticking with It
Instead of focusing on the result, focus on the actions that lead to it.
🔹 Result Goal: Lose 20 pounds.
🔹 Process Goal: Work out 3x per week, take 10,000 steps daily, track food intake.
Process goals shift your focus from ‘Did I lose 20 pounds?’ to ‘Did I show up and do what I said I would?’
Suddenly, success isn’t some distant milestone—it’s something you achieve every single day.
And guess what? If you hit the process goals consistently, the results take care of themselves.
The Power of Small, Consistent Steps
Most people underestimate what small, daily actions add up to over time.
- Read 30 pages a day = 36 books a year.
- Save $10 a day = $3,650 a year.
- Walk 10,000 steps a day = 3.6 million steps a year.
Jesse Itzler (serial entrepreneur & endurance athlete) takes this even further with his 18-minute rule. He argues that spending just 18 minutes a day on a skill puts you ahead of 95% of people in that field over time. Think about it—18 minutes a day adds up to 100 hours a year of deliberate practice. That kind of consistency, even in short bursts, leads to mastery.
Itzler’s point? You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. The difference between people who succeed and those who don’t? The ones who show up daily—even for just 18 minutes.
Consistency beats intensity every time.
How to Set Process Goals That Actually Work
1️⃣ Start with the end goal. (Lose weight, write a book, run a marathon, etc.)
2️⃣ Work backward to define the process. (Daily/weekly actions to get there.)
3️⃣ Make the process the goal. (Focus on the habit, not the outcome.)
4️⃣ Track it. (Daily & weekly check-ins keep you accountable.)
5️⃣ Forget motivation—trust the system and remember: just take action. (If you follow the process, success follows you.)
Final Thoughts: The Focused Fool Approach to Goals
Want to hit huge goals without burning out? Stop obsessing over the scoreboard.
Instead, focus on showing up, taking action, and hitting your daily process goals.
Because in the end, setting process goals isn’t just about results—it’s about proving to yourself that you can show up, take action, and improve. And if you screw up? Well… welcome to the club. That’s why we’re all Focused Fools here.*
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