Focus On The Process, Not The Result

"New goals don't deliver new results. New lifestyles do.

And a lifestyle is a process, not an outcome.

For this reason, your energy should go into building better habits, not chasing better results."

I love this quote by James Clear. He so perfectly states why we often have problems when we are trying to create a new habit. I see this time and again with my clients who come to me after they have been repeatedly unsuccessful in building a new habit. They feel frustrated and hopeless. The problem that they are having is that they are focused on the results and not paying attention at all to the process it takes to get there. 

We are chasing results, the big goal that looms out ahead of us. We are inspired and enthusiastic as we start. Time passes and results don’t come as quickly as we had hoped or in the manner we were expecting, our enthusiasm wanes and we ditch the goal. We get lost in where we are going but don’t see that it is HOW we get there that needs some adjusting. The results become something we see as unattainable and we get overwhelmed just thinking about it.

When we can take the result we are looking for and figure out how to create small changes that become part of our lifestyle, then we can start to bridge the gap between our results and the process it will take us to get there.

Real change happens when we create habits that are sustainable. The quick fixes that may give quick results don’t last, or if they do it is rare. Creating small and simple changes to our daily life, that are easy to be successful with, begin to build on each other. They lay the foundation we need to have our habits become something we no longer have to think about but are something that we just do. This is sustainable change, lifestyle change. 

It sounds easy, right?!? Creating new habits may not be easy, but it is often not as hard as we make it out to be. If you have been trying to create a new habit or make a change in your life, think about one small thing you can do to head towards where you want to go. Make it so small that it almost seems silly to commit to it. Allow yourself time to be successful with that small habit and continue to build from there. If it feels overwhelming or exhausting just thinking about it then take a step back and go even smaller. Keep working like this until the new habit becomes second nature. When you approach your habits in this way you will be able to get rid of the overwhelm and frustration and start living the life you want. 

The best part, you can start today, right now. Good luck! I know you can do it! If you ever need any help or have any question just reach out. I’m happy to help however I can.