Are your wellness goals…legit? 🤔

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Happy Monday, boo!

Do your wellness goals for 2024 sound anything like this:

In 2024, my goal is to lose X lbs.

In 2024, my goal is to eat healthier.

In 2024, my goal is to work out more.

In 2024, my goal is to run a marathon.

Or something of the sort? If so…

I am SO proud of you for setting an outcome goal.

That was the first step.

Now it's time to dig deeper and set a process goal (spoiler alert: this will help you achieve your outcome goal…ayyye!)

Get that pen and paper ready.

So, what's the difference between an OUTCOME goal and a PROCESS goal?

I thought you'd never ask :)

An outcome goal is your ‘big want’ and focuses on the end game. These are the ones we often think of first, like wanting to "lose 15 pounds" or "fit into those jeans." They're the big, shiny results we're after, but sometimes they can feel a bit out of reach.

On the other hand, process goals focus on the day-to-day actions and behaviors that will lead to your ‘big want’ or desired outcome. It'll help you build consistent, sustainable habits and is all about the journey, not just the destination.

Let me give you some examples…

Outcome Goal: lose 20 lbs

Process Goal: incorporate a 20-min walk into my daily routine, 5 days a week

Outcome Goal: eat healthier

Process Goal: reduce my takeout meals to 2x a week

Outcome Goal: workout more

Process Goal: move my body in some way 20-30min a day

Outcome Goal: run a marathon

Process Goal: follow a 6-month marathon training plan

Process Goals > Outcome Goals

Let me tell you why…

Outcome goals are often too general. Want to run faster, squat heavier, or lose weight? Cool —sort of. Goals like these aren’t specific enough, and that makes you less likely to reach them. A nonspecific goal represents a lack of commitment. A nonspecific goal says, “I’ll get to that…someday.”
Process goals have built-in game plans. You’ve just set a wellness goal. Now what? Process goals eliminate the answer to that question because the answer is built into the goal.
Process goals allow you to celebrate along the way. When you set an outcome goal, you have one opportunity for success. There’s no in between—you either succeed or you fail. I mean…talk about daunting. With process goals, you can at least celebrate ALL THE TIME! Process goals break big dreams into manageable chunks and give you lots of opportunities to feel good about your progress.
You don't have control over your outcome goals. Let’s say you want to lose 20 pounds. You can’t control this outcome, because it's determined by a lot of different variables. BUT what you can control is your behavior. So, instead of thinking about losing 20 pounds—think about hitting the gym 5 times per week, or filling half of your plate with vegetables every day at lunch and dinner.
Process goals allow for flexibility and adaptability. Listen, life happens, and it's not always possible to stick to a rigid outcome goal. But if you have a process goal of exercising for 30 minutes a day, you can still achieve that goal even if you need to adjust your schedule or routine.

My Final Thoughts

Outcome goals are definitely a great place to start. It can be super motivating to have a clear end goal in mind that will give you a sense of accomplishment and pride when you reach it.

But you have must prioritize process goals if you want to consistently work towards your end goal and build healthy, sustainable habits. Process goals are the foundation that will support your success in the long run.

Focus on the journey, not just the destination.

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can support you:

Have a great week!

Ariel Belgrave, CPT

Certified Health & Fitness Coach

Corporate Wellness Strategist

Board Member, Women's Health Mag

Under Armour Athlete

P.S. I encourage you to forward this email to someone who could use this wisdom (sharing is caring!)

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