It's about Process, not Outcome!

        Outcomes are goals that we strive for.  As a culture, we are pretty addicted to meeting goals.  We’re taught how to set goals that are SMART.  (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Time Limited)  Which is great if you actually could set a goal like that!  Believe me, when I worked with an agency, there was like 1 person out a 100 who could actually set a goal that the auditors thought was SMART.  

of times, I have people say, “I want us to get back to where we used to be.”  Those are all pretty big goals.

        What happens when a goal seems out of reach?  When we look at it and it seems impossible.  Fighting less might seem like a great goal, but what are the steps it takes to get there?  Do you know the steps?  If you knew and could do the steps, wouldn’t you have already done them? 

        When we start doing these little steps, we get frustrated because we feel we should be at the goal already.  We feel shame and blame we’re not meeting what we see as our desired outcome.  We also fail sometimes.  I can’t tell you how many couples are making good progress and they slip and have a huge row and they feel like they’ve lost all the progress they’ve made.     All that can make us give up and stop going for it.  It seems like an exercise in futility, it’s too difficult, or we just aren’t capable of doing it. 

        Well, I’d like to reassure you.  When the end game seems impossible, it’s time to focus on the process, not the outcome. 

        Using a football analogy here:  If your desired outcome is to win the Super Bowl, but your team has not learned to run a play yet, you better focus on running the play!  Not only do you need to learn to run the play but you need to become great at it!  You are going to run that play over and over until it’s second nature. You’re going to know that play inside and out.  At first, the play is going to be awkward.  At first, the whole team isn’t going to be good at it.  There’s going to be a lot of failures in making the play.  But eventually, your team runs a great play!  They win a game, then another and before you know it you’re a Super Bowl contender.  That outcome that seemed so impossible is now within reach.  But only after you’ve mastered the process.    

        There’ve been times in my relationship when I’ve felt happiness wasn’t possible.  I didn’t think it’d ever happen again.  That seemed like an outcome that was too much to hope for. 

        Turning that around took a focus on the process.  The processes of a happy relationship, (I call the pillars) are compassion, communication and commitment.  Making the little decisions every day that align with these qualities is what got me closer to the end goal.  I had to be kind when I didn’t want to be. I had to decide to stay just one more day when it would have felt great to walk out.  Talking about things that made me vulnerable created intimacy little by little.  I focused on the process because I didn’t know how to get to the outcome I wanted.  I was so far away from it, I needed a telescope. 

        By paying attention to the process, I moved closer and closer, with consistency and persistence, until I could see happiness on the horizon.  I tried to stay focused on my own behaviors, not my partners.  By continuing on, we’ve found our way to a place of happiness I don’t think we ever imagined.  We’ve now passed our 20th anniversary and we enjoy each other more now than we ever did. Do we still disagree?  Yes.  Do we still annoy each other?  Yes.  We fail all the time.  But we focus on the process. 

Practice time:  What is your desired outcome?  What processes do you need to get there?  It’s the little things you practice every day that lead you to winning.  What is one process you can commit to today?  Consistency and persistence are mandatory! 

Let me know what you decided.  Comment below, I’d love to hear from you! 

Focusing on the process,
Allison 
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