The Process

I was asked today about goal-setting by one of my athletes. She mentioned the two camps out there when it comes to goal-setting. One camp would say set goals that are specific, measurable, and realistic. The other mentality is one that would have athletes and coaches set their goals void of results and void of an end. Setting goals on the process.
Everyone has specific, measurable, and realistic goals but in retrospect those goals are small. When I was 17 my goal was to compete at Junior Nationals and total. I achieved that goal. It was specific, measurable, and realistic. Today it seems small. Football teams have a goal every week to win. That goal is specific, measurable, and most times realistic. Yet the good teams focus on something greater.
A while back I watched a 60 minutes episode with Nick Saban. In that interview Coach Saban mentions that his team doesn’t focus on the wins or the touchdowns. They focus on the process and let the wins take care of themselves.
I have goals for each meet. What I want my total to be or what I want to snatch etc. However, those goals are ALWAYS an outflowing of how committed to the process I was leading up to that meet. Small goals are the measurable, realistic, specific kind. Big goals reside in HOW we achieve the small ones. Can I make it through a training session focused on every rep I perform down to the barbell warmup? Will I not give up when the barbell wants me to? Can I keep the bar close on every single snatch today? Will I give all I can to the training today? Can I keep a tight back on every squat today? Those are goals are often not as easily measured, specific, or many days realistic. But they’re the goals that drive the results.
Coach Saban, in his interview, says “Ignore the scoreboard, don’t worry about winning, just focus on doing your job at the highest level, the wins will follow.” My goal is a relentless commitment to the process and allowing the process to drive the results. If the results were the end then I’d likely never be able to exceed them. Results are a by-product of the process. The results have an infinite end. My goal has always been the training room and the workouts. If I can be perfect in my execution there, results will follow and continue to follow. Creating goals that are void of how we train and focus primarily on what we achieve will likely be short-sighted and leave you short of your potential. I recommend your goals always involve the process, that’s the easiest way to stay hungry and drive greater results.