Whenever I make an “Outcome” goal, I usually fail.
Whenever I make a “Process” goal, I usually succeed.
It’s because a “Process” goal prescribes a set of things to do, that will help you reach your goal. An “Outcome” goal tends to rely on hope and bravado which is only marginally helpful.
“Outcome” Goal
Hoping and praying something happens
“Process” Goal
Taking specific steps that will hit the goal
Here’s 5 quickie examples:
Hope this helps you make better goals :)
Sincerely,
Neville Medhora
Hey Neville, You have put down and illustrated a brilliant info that has changed my reasoning. Thank you. MY GOAL AS A MENTOR AND COACH IN MY BUSINESS IS TO HAVE LOTS OF LEADS, ACTIVE BUSINESS OWNERS IN MY DOWNLINE TEAM AND HIT THE HIGHEST LEVEL (RANK) IN MY ONLINE DIGITAL BUSINESS BEFORE THE END OF NEXT YEAR, 2022.
Perfect Peice of Information! Loved the Design.This helps me out in targeting my clients as well as approaching my goals with new thought and fresh path for completing my projects and plans.I focus on the plan execution now rather than the result. Thanks for changing my thoughts.
What’s cooking Between Process and Success?
Quality = good, great, exceptional.
Completion = hours, days, weeks.
Focus = According to Topic, Field, Interest.
That’s It!
If you cook the above 3 items perfectly then Process will be always Success.
Else everything will be fishy!
This is brilliant. Thank you for your work!
I really can’t believe how great this site is. Keep up the good work. I’m going to tell all my friends about your copywriting. Also, i am really impressed with your writing talents.
Progress is not always linear, which is why process is so incredibly important. Good points and you do good with the visuals on the examples. – Ringo –
Hi Neville, My Goal is To Get Over 2000 Clients for my new growth agency in 6 months.
I’m kicking off next week.
My goal is to get a job.
Hey Danay, then you should make a process goal something like:
Just saying you want a job will do nothing. Strategically going after your desired jobs day-after-day will work.
I want to become a good copywritter, good enough, to at least start doing small gigs. And be better as I go
Hey Salvador, you might wanna follow this post first!
https://copywritingcourse.com/how-to-make-100-dollars/
My goal is to get my products into 6 stores locally. To get my online store out there. To create my social media network. First year to make $100,000. Great newsletter!!!
Oh nice Sally! It might be helpful to make a “Process” goal instead….maybe something alone the lines of:
Something like that would define a PROCESS for you, rather than just a hopeful goal!
Awesome straight forward advice. The only issue is at the beginning, we need to close our eyes to the outcome and focus on the process.
We need to write those two awesome articles per month and not worry about analytics and visits for about two years. That’s the bigger struggle, putting things into the unknown and not expecting anything in return for a while.
But luckily people like Neville who’ve already done it are here to reassure us that it’s nothing magical, just put in the work.
And I really like the advice about putting out 2 AWESOME articles per month rather than 200 word scraps twice per week or every day. Although there is some magic in there also, like Seth Godin has been doing for years.
I actually developed LifeHQ to improve my daily process of doing the work and focusing on the process completely. I know once I finish all my tasks from my master list, the day has been won, I don’t care about the outcome, the daily part of the process has been finished.
Yeah Darko, it really helps to just trust in the process more than hoping & praying for some random outcome with no steps to get there.
Bet of luck on LifeHQ, looks cool!!
Love your sh!t…read every email even though I am not a copywriter/marketer. Love it when you and Hebro Noah podcast together!
Thanks Ksee, I think a lot of this stuff can also apply to people who are not in the copywriting field, glad you like our stuff!
I love the article (as always). Here are my outcome goals that I struggle with turning into good process goals.
Outcome goal 1: To create a business that pays me $200,000 a year.
Outcome goal 2: Sell 10,000 copies of my book: Thinker vs Doer – over the next year.
Hey JP, you might wanna JUST focus on selling a ton of copies of your book, which in turn would make you that $200,000.
Also for the $200,000 goal….it’s so vague, you might wanna work backwards. For example you can use this Product Pricing Calculator to see what it’ll take to make $200,000 in a year. Here’s some sample output:
If you sell a product, to make $200,000:
You need 5,000 people to buy a $40 product.
You need 2,000 people to buy a $100 product.
You need 1,000 people to buy a $200 product.
You need 500 people to buy a $400 product.
You need 300 people to buy a $667 product.
You need 200 people to buy a $1,000 product.
You need 100 people to buy a $2,000 product.
You need 50 people to buy a $4,000 product.
You need 25 people to buy a $8,000 product.
You need 5 people to buy a $40,000 product.
Maybe you could make a “Process” goal for steps you can take to sell more copies of your book!
Thanks Neville. Focusing on the book sounds like a great idea.
My goal is to get 10 clients for my editing business every month and also to practice on my copywriting skill for one hour everyday.
Can you help “process” this Nev?
Hey Elle, you might need to make a process with “action steps” such as:
This is more of an action-oriented goal!
Get 10 paying clients for my granting writing business (1 currently, 3 signed up but not yet paid, 2 meeting with prospects this Friday)
Hey Elizabeth, instead of trying to get 10 clients, why don’t you make a process goal more like:
By following a similar procedure, you’re likely to get more exposure for your services and get clients!
Hi Neville,
Thank you for this post. I really needed to read it. I am building an online store and a blog, but I am jumping from one thing to another and am not completing anything. I’ll write down individual tasks and I think I might be finishing more.
P.S. you are one of the few people, whose newsletter I always read.
Thank you for the kind works Ezebra!
Well maybe you need to complete little baby steps first.
Perhaps your FIRST order of business could be:
You can make that your very first goal. Then your next one could be:
At least this way using these baby steps you will focus on one thing at a time!
I agree with this article completely! I had a goal of getting in the best shape of my life. The problem was that it was really hard to quantify. I had outcome goals such as bench press so much, run a mile in this much time, reduce body fat to this percentage, etc. Once, I switched my goal of getting in shape to the process, I’m really getting to where I want to be. My process goal is extremely simple, and it is now the only goal I have in regards to fitness. My goal is that I just do my set fitness routine every day. That’s it.
That’s awesome Tom!
Fitness goals are DEFINITELY benefited by being process driven rather than goal driven. It’s almost impossible to lose 10lbs if you’re hoping & praying….but it’s easy if you have a daily process you can follow.
Excellent Article Nev. I am currently committed to the Process of Creating atleast 1 form of content (written/audio/video/graphics) per day and I post them across every social media.
Oh nice D! That will be great practice.
I think what might be even MORE useful is creating just 2 AMAZING pieces per month, which you can then break up into tons of individual posts.
I would strongly recommend you read this:
https://copywritingcourse.com/blog-content-strategy/
Having a BIG post, and then funneling social traffic back to it creates a “machine.”
I would like to make a living with ecommerce and running ads selling the karate books of my father in diffrent countrys. Thank you already Neville :)
Perhaps you should make a process style goal outlining how you will promote your karate books, maybe something like:
Having a process you can follow each day/week is far more important than hoping to make a living off something, you need to take baby steps to get there!
Yes Thanks you! We are already taking baby steps (with insta and youtube) but till now we didn’t reach out enough to others. Thanks for your help :)
I love your content, every time, every day…
I love you every day ❤
Thanks so much for the article, Neville!
My goal is pass school.
Good goal, but you need a process. How about:
Something simple as this can prepare you more than other students in your class and help you pass all the classes!
Great article.
My goal is to clinch my first copywriting gig once my website and (theoretical) portfolio is completed.
Very nice Petra, you probably don’t even need a portfolio, just follow these posts:
https://copywritingcourse.com/copywriting-portfolio/
https://copywritingcourse.com/how-to-make-100-dollars/
Thank you for this amazing piece again. I read about processes in Atomic Habits, this article just made the concept fresh and clear in my mind.
Thank you
Well, my goal is to get hired in a SaaS startup.
Cheers!
Hey Vrushal, maybe you can make a process-driven goal like:
In a few weeks or less you’ll likely hit this goal!
Thanks Neville
My Goal is to put out original content on marketing and career advice, and to start earning money from my articles.
Hey Ifeoma, if that is the goal, then get an article out by the end of the week…SOLVED! Reply to this comment with your finished post.
Hi Neville…
This is a really nice mindset…. Thanks for showing us the way when we think all the ways are closed.
My current outcome goal is to earn $1000 as a freelance copywriter from India ( That is where I live ).
I have already joined copywriting groups on fb, read books like cashvertising and the copywriter’s handbook. Can you suggest some other ways??
Hey Kuldeep, follow this!
https://copywritingcourse.com/how-to-make-100-dollars/
My goal is to get 5 new clients for my agency in the next 6 months. I’ve just registered the company. And I am testing everything. Thank you.
Awesome, then make a process-driven goal like:
This is more likely to get you there :)
Hi Neville,
Thank you so much for your content!
My goal is to sneak my way into the copywriting world and begin gaining skills before anyone finds out about my lack of experience! :)
Basically, I love writing and have been published on the internet, but I would prefer to learn and be paid to do copywriting instead. What process would you recommend for a complete beginner?
Thanks a lot!
Luba
Thanks Luba! You should follow these two posts to get started:
https://copywritingcourse.com/copywriting-portfolio/
https://copywritingcourse.com/how-to-make-100-dollars/
Create a series of 10 individual “Quick Tips” to be used on website, emails blasts ,social, youtube etc.
Well….have it done 2 weeks from now and post the link as a reply to this comment. YOU HAVE 14 DAYS!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this.
Yes, it’s very easy to get distracted just focusing on the Outcome Goal and not on the Process Goal.
The Process Goal helps you break down the Goal in smaller parts which are easy to do and increases the chances to achieve the Outcome Goal.
Totally agreed!
I do organizational development and what you described is the difference between Vision & Mission (something so horribly understood by orgs).
The VISION is what happens IF everything you are doing (MISSION) works!
MISSION is only powerful when there is compelling VISION.
The more compelling your VISION the greater the likelihood people will help you in your MISSION.
Yup, this can be phrased many different ways. Thanks for sharing David!
Love this process goal method! I also like this quote from Nick Saban.
“We’re not going to talk about what we’re going to accomplish. We’re going to talk about how we’re going to do it.”
– Saban talking about his process during his introductory press conference in 2006.
Very nice! It was one of his comments that inspired this post :)
My goal is to earn $100 from my blog. And have at least 100 post of around 1000 words each – that’s my process. Is there anything better I should do?
Hey Rohan, does having 100 posts actually have anything to do with income? Most likely not.
Maybe you should make something like:
I think this would more likely result in some good freelancing work worth over $100 rather than just writing 100 posts (which seems to not currently be tied to revenue).
Hi Neville
Thanks for this practical advice! I have been trying to produce content to my Portuguese lessons program aiming to be a reference for studying Brazilian Portuguese online. I have an Instagram and a You tube channel, but my lack of consistency producing content it is a barrier to see grow. I would appreciate your advice. Thanks, Debora
Hey Debora,
Maybe you should put in some process around that then? Perhaps something like:
1.) Post a new YouTube tutorial every Monday.
2.) Promote the new YouTube video with 7 Instagram posts.
By focusing on the process you are more likely to generate interest in your product.
Such an important piece of advice put so simply! Loved those graphics.
With time, I’m beginning to realize the importance of setting up processes. This’s helping me achieve my goals easily. For example, instead of thinking of wondering how to be a great dancer, I actually enrolled for intensive training of 6 hours per day. Likewise, instead of aiming to launch my lettering course and selling it to a 1000 people, I’ve simply started putting out one artwork on my social media channels every day.
However, it’s easy to forget this simple advice and question the process. Thanks for this!
You’re welcome Shreya, having focusing on the “process” over the “outcome” is definitely a solid way to go.
Cool portfolio btw!
This is a great reminder, Neville. I’ve been drifting off with outcome-oriented goals and hence, run out of steam soon. I recently decided to target 100,000 visitors/month for my website. However, that’s not in my control entirely. I realize it should rather come back to writing 2 articles a week and promoting them :) Does that make sense?
Hey Chintan, glad this is a good reminder for you.
I can see how 100,000 visitors/month as a goal would fail.
You should probably commit to just 2 articles a MONTH.
Maybe:
Super helpful way to look at it. My goal is to make full time copywriter at the agency I work at (just started as Jr. Copywriter a few months ago).
Hey Jordan that’s awesome!
I think a good “Process” goal would be: