Don't set outcome goals, set process goals

We've been taught as kids to always have goals, to always be ambitious.

But what we're taught to have are usually outcome goals.

Outcome goals are like the big flashy egoistic statements (which are overrated):

• Make $10k MRR by the end of the year
• Get 100k YouTube subscribers
• Grow 20% year-over-year
• Get to #1 on Product Hunt / Hacker News

Outcome goals are fine; it's great to have a general idea of what direction we want to head in.

But outcome goals alone are nothing but a glorified wish list.

Process goals > Outcome goals

I think it's important for entrepreneurs to differentiate between outcome goals and process goals.

Process goals are the boring invisible unsexy daily grind activities, which are underrated:

• Do 4 hours of uninterrupted deep work every day
• Spend 1 hour of marketing for every 2 hours spend on product development
• Ask for a review/testimonial every time you've helped a customer out
• Learn SEO, paid ads, cold outreach, warm outreach, video marketing, etc.

I find that you need some framework for process goals if you want to succeed in anything, let alone something as challenging and difficult as entrepreneurship.

Otherwise you're just a rudderless ship, a daydreamer with a wish but no plan.

In fact, if you set the correct process goals, and you successfully complete them over and over again, you don't even need to set outcome goals.

Because so long as you take care of the input, the output takes care of itself.

Optimize your process goals

If you're the kind to write down your goals, do a self-audit and see if they're actually process or outcome goals.

And even if they're process goals, you have to make sure those process goals are strategic and actionable enough to achieve your intended outcome goals.

We don't need to write down stuff like "make money" or "lose weight" -- it's obvious.

What we should write down is the "how," because even process goals need to be directly actionable.

For example, a lot of entrepreneurs use "daily streaks" to keep themselves consistent and accountable (whether it's pushing out code, writing content, or sending cold emails).

Another simple way to stay accountable to your process goals is, simply, time tracking.

Sure, just because you're sitting there doesn't mean you're productive, that depends on how focused and deeply you're working.

But if you're not even sitting there enough, I know for damn sure that you aren't productive.

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