The Best Way to Make Progress & Get Results

Focus on the process, not the product.

If you want to make big changes, it will require small, consistent behaviour. (Sounds so boring but well, most of the time the boring things are the ones that work) Spoiler alert, you have to stick to them for longer than you think. Consistency means months and years... not just days and weeks.

My biggest tip: stay focused on what you can control. That is, changing daily behaviour, rather than worrying about future outcomes.

Behaviours vs. Outcomes

You'll have heard me bang on about this before ... but what does it mean?

The world is mostly uncontrollable. Life happens. So we want to control the controllable and let the rest sort itself out.

For example,

• If you want to sell your house for a good price,you can renovate it and give it a fresh coat of paint. But you can’t control the housing market.

• If you want to have a nice picnic, you can pack a basket and blanket and plan your route to the park. But you can't control the weather.

• If you want to lose weight/ build muscle, you can eat well and stay active. But you can't control your fat cells/ the rate at which your build muscle.

You can't make your body loose a stone on command any more than you can make your house worth a certain amount when you sell it.

In other words, you can't control the outcome.

But you can control the behaviours that lead to the outcome you want.

Outcomes are WHAT you want. But outcomes don't tell you what to do.

Behaviours are HOW you'll get there. Behaviour goals give you an action plan.

Set behaviour goals

Here are a few examples showing the difference between outcome and behaviour goals.

Outcome goals

• Run a 5K race in 23 minutes.

• Lose 10 kg.

• Squat 50 kg.

Behaviour goals

• Run for 20 minutes three times per week for the next month, gradually increasing the duration and speed.

• Practice eating slowly at every meal.

• Show up every day and do coaching practices consistently.

• Start giving piggyback rides regularly

Behaviour goals are a commitment to do a specific set of actions that lead to the outcome you want.

Behaviour goals are also,

• things you do consistently and regularly;

• small, manageable tasks that are within your control; and

• often things that you can do right now, today or in the near future.

You can't control the outcome. You can control the behaviours that, when done consistently, will move you in the right direction.

The 4 Circles

In the first circle, identify what you want the outcome of your program to be.

In “this month”, “this week”, and “today”, write what you will do to get to that outcome.

Notice how what you do right now—and in the near future—contributes to the outcome you seek.

Set yourself up for success

Be realistic with what you can do. For now, under-estimate your capacity.

It's better to start small and succeed than go big and feel like inadequate for "failing".

Got something you're working towards? Here are some prompts to get you started.

What do you want the outcome to be at the end of your program? What's your final destination?

OK, good. Now let that outcome goal go and focus on these:

What can you do this month to work towards that goal?

What can you do this week to work towards that goal?

What can you do today to work towards that goal?