Focus on The Process, Not The End Result: Rule for Intrepid Living #74

When I started this blog, I found certain aspects infuriating. I won’t get into details, but the writing came easy, the editing a little harder, but trying to grow readership… Well, not my forte. Rule #74 was the answer. What’s Rule #74? Jeez, read the title, it’s “focus on the process, not the end result.”

This applies to more than just writing. In fact, it applies to pretty much everything! Why? Because it strips the expectations out of what you’re doing, and allows you to focus on developing the skills you need to achieve your goals. On this smaller scale it’s much easier to see progress, and to enjoy the undertaking.

When I stopped focusing on trying to get bullseyes and instead just focused on improving my form, stance, and release, my archery skills drastically improved. More importantly, I started enjoying archery more. When I stopped trying to make perfect videos for my YouTube channel, and instead just worked on developing my editing skills to tell a good story, my videos got so much better! I also started to love filming and editing video.

There’s nothing wrong with trying to achieve goals. Goals are awesome, and I hope you’re working toward some right now (should I write a post about setting goals?)… But as you do that, don’t get so hung up on the end result that you neglect the here and now; the developmental process that gets you where you want to go.

Few things will upset you quite like realizing that you’ve grown to hate something you once loved. Pitfalls like burnout, frustration, or plateauing can crush forward momentum. One of the best ways to avoid this pitfall is to focus on the process instead of the end result. So set that goal, figure out how you’re going to make progress toward achieving it, and then focus on that process.