Shifting Focus to the Process Over Results
This year I've embraced process-focused thinking - redirecting from distant end goals to finding fulfillment from progress made through my daily system. This blog will be an unfolding case study, sharing lessons as I strengthen my alignment between actions and milestones.
This year sparked a mental shift in my approach to life’s endeavors - embracing a process-driven framework rather than fixating on specific end results. In the past, I heavily prioritized goal achievement, often feeling disappointed when anticipated outcomes failed to materialize. This results-obsessed perspective seems engrained in society's collective psyche. We define success in tangible destinations reached - extra pounds shed, tests aced, targets hit.
But in many scenarios, an extreme results focus manifests counterproductively. Take diets for example. In laser-focusing on the number we want to see on the scale, we neglect sustainability, which enables that lower weight. Myopically chasing exam grades without properly synthesized knowledge is similarly self-limiting when entering complex realms.
I realized this model has never worked optimally for me. It disregards a crucial component: the process. Last year I began shifting priorities to value my incremental progress up the mountain equally to reaching the summit.
This manifested in small ways at first, like finally establishing a steady reading habit. Rather than a vague unenforced goal to read more, I focused on the process. This meant creating a clear system - one book a month, listing options in advance, and reading 10 pages minimum daily. Checking off boxes not just for the end reward but for the small sense of accomplishment from walking the path itself. Along the way, the process transformed reading from a seldom occurrence to a nourishing ritual.
After experiential glimpses into process-driven thinking, I plan on further exploration this year. My aim is codifying a sustainable blueprint applicable across initiatives:
- Assess current reality
- Define objectives
- Brainstorm action plan
- Refine via real-world feedback
I recognize no first draft will perfectly bridge the present with the future. But by taking imperfect action, we gain insights to hone step-by-step strategies. Course correcting based on results while keeping the process as a priority north star.
This blog stands as a transparent test case. I set my aim - one post per week. As I walk the path between intention and outcome, I will chronicle revelations that emerge. A living document demonstrating the process focus philosophy in action.