Coaching practices for How to Write Process Goals
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Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?
- I write down things like "be consistent" and "execute well" thinking those are my action goals, but they’re really just the result wearing a disguise
- I lost, so I’ve written the whole thing off as a failure
- I keep telling myself things like "try harder" and "stay focused," and then in the moment those words give me nothing to actually grab onto
- I keep hearing that goals should "motivate without paralyzing" and I genuinely don’t know which kind to use when
- I’ve only ever set myself one kind of goal
Practices that may help
- Design process goals that are specific, observable, and within your control
Process goals must be both actionable (you can do them) and observable (you can confirm you did them).
Process vs. Outcome Goals in Sport and Performance - Process Goals, Made Practical
Process goals focus on the specific behaviors and techniques under the performer’s direct control (how you execute) rather than on outcomes (whether you win). Sport psychology research consistently finds that process goals maintain attention on controllable actions, reduce anxiety, and improve performance consistency — especially under pressure — while pure outcome goals can undermine both. - Review process goal execution separately from outcomes after each performance
Evaluate how well you executed your process goals independently of whether you won or lost.
Process Goals, Made Practical - Make process goals behaviorally specific enough to direct attention
A vague process goal ("try harder") is not a process goal — it must specify what to do with your body and attention.
Process Goals, Made Practical - Build a three-level goal hierarchy
Stack outcome goals (direction), performance goals (benchmarks), and process goals (moment-to-moment focus) in a single structure.
Process vs. Outcome Goals in Sport and Performance - Understand the three-goal hierarchy: outcome, performance, process
Use all three goal types — but know which one to focus on during execution.
Process Goals, Made Practical - Process vs. Outcome Goals in Sport and Performance
Outcome goals (winning, achieving a score) set direction but are only partially within a performer’s control. Process goals (executing specific actions or maintaining specific focus) are fully controllable and directly drive the behaviors that produce outcomes. Sport psychology research indicates that process and performance goals produce better results under pressure than outcome goals alone — because they direct attention to what can actually be influenced in the moment. - Use a process goal as an in-performance attention anchor
Convert your most important process goal into a single attention cue that runs during the performance.
Process vs. Outcome Goals in Sport and Performance - Debrief against process goals, not just the outcome
After performance, evaluate whether you executed your process goals before evaluating the result.
Process vs. Outcome Goals in Sport and Performance - One-minute goals: write them short enough to re-read in a minute
A goal that cannot be stated on a single page is too vague to be evaluated or acted on.
The One Minute Manager: Three Practices That Still Work
Related concerns
- Outcome Performance Process Goals
Process goals focus on the specific behaviors and techniques under the performer’s direct control (how you execute) rather than on outcomes (whether you win). Sport psychology research consistently finds that process goals maintain attention on controllable actions, reduce anxiety, and improve performance consistency — especially under pressure — while pure outcome goals can undermine both.
- Process Goals Sport Psychology
Process goals focus on the specific behaviors and techniques under the performer’s direct control (how you execute) rather than on outcomes (whether you win). Sport psychology research consistently finds that process goals maintain attention on controllable actions, reduce anxiety, and improve performance consistency — especially under pressure — while pure outcome goals can undermine both.
- Redirect To Process Goal
Convert your most important process goal into a single attention cue that runs during the performance.
Use a process goal as an in-performance attention anchor
- Specific Process Goals
Process goals focus on the specific behaviors and techniques under the performer’s direct control (how you execute) rather than on outcomes (whether you win). Sport psychology research consistently finds that process goals maintain attention on controllable actions, reduce anxiety, and improve performance consistency — especially under pressure — while pure outcome goals can undermine both.
- Outcome Vs Process Goals
Outcome goals (winning, achieving a score) set direction but are only partially within a performer’s control. Process goals (executing specific actions or maintaining specific focus) are fully controllable and directly drive the behaviors that produce outcomes. Sport psychology research indicates that process and performance goals produce better results under pressure than outcome goals alone — because they direct attention to what can actually be influenced in the moment.
- Process Goals At Work
Process goals focus on the specific behaviors and techniques under the performer’s direct control (how you execute) rather than on outcomes (whether you win). Sport psychology research consistently finds that process goals maintain attention on controllable actions, reduce anxiety, and improve performance consistency — especially under pressure — while pure outcome goals can undermine both.
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