#1 on playing the long game, process goals and perseverance
Hey everyone, it's Ellie! Testing out a new format for my newsletter—excited to hear your thoughts! Ready for a mental workout?
Let's dive right in! 👇🏻
1. On playing the long game
In a world saturated with promises of quick and easy results, it’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t happen overnight.
How to have a long-term goal in a short-term world? A big goal need a long-term strategy and a resilient mind. Playing the long game is about doing the small things over time to achieve our goals, and being willing to keep at them, even when they seem pointless, boring, or hard.
Playing the long game strategies:
-Have a clear and meaningful goal. I like the terms “gift goal” or “inspirational goal”. I’ll be sharing more about the qualities of these types of goals vs outcome goals.
- Get started in a very small way and as soon as possible. Any goal can feel overwhelming if you look at it in its totality. You create positive momentum if you start small and can see your success build.
-Understand what it really takes to accomplish your goal. Too many people (me included) get discouraged that they’re not progressing faster, simply because they didn’t discover or they didn’t want to discovered (cognitive miser bias) how long it’s taken others to succeed. Develop a clear picture and set realistic goals.
-Manage your time efficiently, set your priorities.
-Build the mental resilience to endure the ups and downs along the way. What playing the long game most requires is character.
“It’s the courage to carve your own path, without the reassurance of doing exactly what everyone else in the crowd is. It’s the willingness to look like a failure - sometimes for long periods- because it takes time for results to show. And it’s the strength to endure and persist, even when you aren’t sure how it’s going to turn out.”
2. On process goals
Goals help you improve success in your domain and life! Setting goals requires you go beyond goals, you do this by setting daily objectives that will help you reach your goals.
Process goals are specific, actionable steps that we focus on to achieve a larger outcome goal. Unlike outcome goals, which are focused on the final result (such as winning a competition or losing a certain amount of weight), process goals are centered on the actions required to reach that result and most important they are under our control. For example, a runner's process goal might be to complete five training sessions per week, whereas their outcome goal might be to run a marathon in under four hours.
Focusing on process goals is important for several reasons. Firstly, they help in building consistent habits and routines, which are crucial for long-term success. By breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, and 100% under our control, process goals make it easier to stay motivated and focused (no excuses). Secondly, they reduce the pressure and stress associated with outcome goals, which can often seem overwhelming and trigger frustration. This shift in focus helps us to enjoy the journey and learn from the experience, rather than fixating solely on the end result.
Moreover, process goals are within one's control, which increases the likelihood of success. They also encourage continuous improvement and learning, as individuals can adjust their strategies and actions based on feedback and results.
When setting process goals, here are three key questions to consider:
1. What are the specific actions that will move the needle forward in reaching my goal? Identify the precise steps and activities that will directly contribute to your progress.
2. How often will I perform these actions, and how will I track my progress? Establish a regular schedule for these actions and determine a method to monitor and measure your progress.
3. Are these actions realistic and within my control given my current circumstances? Ensure that your process goals are feasible within your existing resources and that you have direct control over them.
These questions help to focus on the practicality, measurability, and controllability of your process goals, making it more likely for you to stay on track and achieve your long-term objectives.
3. On perseverance
Perseverance is the steadfast commitment to a goal despite facing difficulties and setbacks. It involves resilience, the ability to bounce back from failures, and adaptability, adjusting strategies when necessary. Perseverance is driven by intrinsic motivation, maintaining effort even without immediate rewards. This quality is crucial for achieving long-term success and personal growth, as it enables individuals to overcome obstacles and continue progressing toward their objectives. Celebrating small victories and surrounding oneself with supportive people can enhance perseverance, making it a key trait for sustained achievement and innovation.
Book of the week: "The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World" by Dorie Clark addresses the challenge of maintaining a long-term perspective in a culture that prioritizes short-term gains. Clark, a top business thinker and Duke University professor, argues that lasting success requires persistence and strategic effort, which often contradicts the pressure to choose the easy, guaranteed, or glamorous path.
Clark emphasizes the importance of small, consistent actions over time to achieve significant goals. She shares unique principles, frameworks, and vivid stories from her career and those of other professionals to illustrate how strategic thinking and patience can lead to profound personal and professional transformations. The book provides practical advice on leveraging the same 24 hours everyone has in more efficient and impactful ways, helping readers break free from the frenetic daily routine and make meaningful, long-term progress in their lives and careers.
That’s a wrap! Feel free to reply to this email if you have any questions, requests or feedback. I will respond at my earliest opportunity.
Cheers,
Ellie