Process Based Goals: 10 Evidence-Based Coaching Practices
Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Process Based Goals, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.
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. - 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 - Filter goals through the controllability test
Only set goals for actions you can directly control — not for outcomes that depend on others or luck.
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 - 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 - 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. - Engage fully in the present rather than deferring satisfaction to the goal
Attaching well-being to future goal achievement reliably postpones happiness and degrades present performance.
Goal-Free Living: When Process Beats Destination - Structure multi-step choices to prevent dropping out mid-process
Breaking a complex action into sequenced steps with visible progress increases completion.
Choice Architecture, Made Practical
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 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’ve pinned everything on a result that partly depends on the judges, the competition, plain luck
- 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
Related concerns
- Process Goal 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.
- Examples Of Process Oriented Goals
Process goals must be both actionable (you can do them) and observable (you can confirm you did them).
Design process goals that are specific, observable, and within your control
- Process Goal
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 Goal Setting
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 Oriented 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.
- 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
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