Move Your Needle: Process Over Outcome
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”
- Arthur Ashe
It’s that time of the year. The NCAA college football championship just ended. The NFL has started the playoffs. The talking heads on ESPN and social media nit-pick each play that is called. Every decision made by the coaches, the players, and the officials is scrutinized. Around the watercoolers and through text messages, fans are blasting each other with all of their pent-up excitement and rage.
Here is the problem. They are looking at the outcome. They aren’t looking deep enough to understand the truth of the matter. If you are willing to take the time and really want to know WHY things happen, it is essential to look in the right place; the answers are in the process. If you understand the Why (was that play or defense called) and the How (the play was designed), then you will appreciate the What (just happened).
When we get wrapped up in only the results and tangible achievements, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing solely on outcomes. This isn’t just in sports; the concept of Process Over Outcome happens in your personal life and business ventures. We tend to measure success by the end result rather than appreciating the intricate journey that leads us there. However, embracing the process over the outcome can transform our approach to life and work, allowing us to cultivate resilience, creativity, and the ability to live the life we are meant to live.
Understanding the Power of Process
Let’s start with a real-life snapshot of your life. Your toilet was coming loose from the bathroom floor. Rather than calling in a plumber, you decide to make it a DIY project. You go to the hardware store and get all the items you need with one of the helpful staff in the store's plumbing section. Everything is going well. Until you apply the caulk to the finished project. Your wife is trying to smooth the lines, but the “caulk” is already firm. The OUTCOME is less than perfect. We can bring in a specialist who will nitpick the outcome. But if you look back at the process, you will find that the person who handed you the “perfect caulk for your project” handed you construction adhesive, not bathroom caulk.
At its core, prioritizing process over outcome is about valuing the steps taken rather than fixating on the final destination. This means recognizing that growth often comes from experiences and the lessons learned from failures and successes (“Sometimes you need to lose to win”). In business, it translates to understanding that sustainable success is built through consistent effort, adaptability, and innovation.
We encourage ourselves to live fully in each moment when we focus on processes. We become learners rather than just achievers. This perspective shift can lead to greater satisfaction and a deeper connection with our goals.
Building a Growth Mindset
One of the most significant benefits of embracing process over outcome is the building of a growth mindset. Psychologist Carol Dweck’s research highlights how individuals with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset encourages resilience—a crucial trait for navigating both life’s challenges and business uncertainties.
Becoming one with a growth mindset means celebrating small victories along the way. Instead of only recognizing major milestones. Did you stack up your Get To’s, or were you bogged down by your Got To’s? Did you ensure your lines of communication were open to your entire team? These moments are vital components of your journey and deserve acknowledgment.
Things became much easier for me when I stopped focusing on winning (the outcome) and put 100% of my time into helping each athlete to become the best version, physically and mentally, of themselves (the process). As a young coach, I tried to do my job while worrying about everyone else doing their job. I soon came to understand that I had no control over others, only over what I did. I understood the role I played in the process. I was just a cog in the machine; when I did my work right, it helped the rest of the machine run at the highest level.
Building Stronger Relationships
Focusing on the process helps strengthen relationships in both personal and professional contexts. Prioritizing teamwork and communication over mere outcomes creates an environment where everyone feels valued and motivated. This inclusivity fosters teamwork, enhances creativity, and ultimately leads to better results.
In business settings, this means involving your team in decision-making processes and encouraging open dialogue about challenges faced along the way. By doing so, you not only build trust but also inspire collective problem-solving—an invaluable asset when striving for shared goals.
As a strength coach, I never made a final decision without getting input from my staff. In my personal life, I always bounced major decisions off of my “quarters” (my closest friends and mentors). Since doing this, I have been on a winning streak that continues to this day!
Understanding the “WHY” as Part of the Journey
Understanding why you were successful is just as important as understanding why you failed in any process—both in life and business. However, when prioritizing outcomes above all else, we often view failure as a setback or success as being “perfect” rather than an opportunity for growth. Embracing the process allows us to see outcomes through a different lens; it becomes a stepping stone toward improvement rather than an endpoint.
For example, when I was coaching, my staff would always get together after a game to understand why the contest's outcome happened. By focusing on learning from each experience—analyzing what went wrong or what went right—and gathering feedback from the athletes and the football staff, my coaches and I could refine our approach and ultimately deliver a better product that would help to ensure success each week.
Finding Fulfillment in Everyday Actions
When we shift our focus from outcomes to processes, we learn more about ourselves and the work that we do every day. Life becomes less about chasing distant goals and more about focusing on each step along the way. In business, this translates into finding joy in common ground with colleagues, looking forward to creative brainstorming sessions, or simply taking pride in completing daily tasks.
This will expand our overall well-being and fuel our motivation for future endeavors. When we gain satisfaction from the journey, we’re more likely to persevere through obstacles and remain committed to our passions.
Process > Outcome
By embracing process over outcome, we build resilience, become more creative, strengthen relationships, embrace failure as part of growth, and discover fulfillment in our everyday actions. Celebrate every small step you take toward your goals and recognize that outcomes and the richness of your experiences define success.
When we all focus on the process, the outcome is almost assured to be the fruits of our labor. When we focus on the outcome, we lose sight of the steps that lead to the final victory. Nothing is more rewarding than doing what you do best, focusing on getting your part done the best way possible, and, in the end, looking up and having the scoreboard reflect your efforts.
Have an amazing week!
