Fuelling the Fire: Why Process Goals Beat Outcome Goals (and How to Build SMART Habits That Stick)
- veldiesp
- Dec 1, 2025
- 3 min read
Ever written down a big goal like “win the championship,” “run a PB,” or “stop arguing with my dad before every match,” …only to realise a month later the only thing you’ve achieved is forgetting you ever even set it? Yeah. You’re not alone.
Motivation is like that one unreliable friend who she shows up when things are going well and then vanishes as soon as you come to her with a problem. It’s not that she doesn’t care, she just doesn’t really deal well with setbacks and she needs a good incentive to stay.
When Goals Go Wrong (and Motivation Follows)
Most athletes focus on outcome goals like winning, ranking, making the squad, hitting that time, getting the girl. The problem however is that these outcomes live in the future and depend on about a thousand things you can’t fully control: weather, competition, referees, your left calf’s mood that day.
When all your motivation hangs on an outcome, your focus becomes fragile and one bad game can result in a full blow hissy fit and a dramatic “I'M QUITTING FOREVER!” moment.
That’s where process goals come in. Process goals are the small, controllable actions that move you forward today. They shift the question from:“Will I win?” to “What can I do right now that actually helps me get there?”
They sound boringly practical, but they’re pure gold for motivation, because they create momentum.
Why Process Goals Keep You Lit
Recent sport psychology research keeps pointing to the same trio: motivation, concentration, and self-confidence are the top factors influencing performance (Studying Nurse, 2025).
Notice something about this trio? No? Okay. I’ll help you out.
These three are built by evidence of effort, not by results. Every time you tick off a small, process-based action, your brain releases a little hit of dopamine (the “good job bro” chemical). That tiny reward reinforces effort, which fuels confidence, which feeds motivation.
Rinse and repeat.
Translation for those who still don’t get it: Process goals give your brain something to celebrate daily, instead of waiting months for a medal that may or may not happen.
How to Build SMART Goals (That Don’t Die in a Week)
You’ve probably heard of SMART goals before (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Yes, they sound like something you’d write in a corporate meeting, but hear me out.They actually work when you tie them to the process, not the outcome.
Let’s break it down Veldie-style:
Specific: Make it clear and actionable.
❌ “Improve focus.”
✅ “Use my visual focus cue before every serve.”
Measurable: You should be able to tell if you did it.
“Did I use my cue today? Yes or no.”
Achievable: Ambitious but realistic.
If you can’t hit it 80% of the time, it’s probably too big.
Relevant: Make sure it actually supports performance.
"Drink 2L of water daily” beats “take up the flute.”
Time-bound: Give it a frame.
“For the next 2 weeks, I’ll do X after every training session.”
Small, clear, doable.
That’s how process habits stick around longer than your off-season tan.
The Bigger Picture: Motivation Isn’t a Mood
Sorry to break it to you but motivation will always fluctuate. Some days you’ll wake up ready to conquer the world. Other days, you’ll stare at your kit bag and seriously consider taking up pottery instead. That’s normal!
The athletes who stay consistent aren’t the ones who feel motivated every day, they’re the ones who’ve built systems that make effort automatic, even when motivation decides to ghost them.
Process goals are that system. They’re like setting the GPS on your brain: you can take detours, hit traffic, get rained on… but you still know where you’re heading.
Try This Week
1️⃣ Rewrite one big goal into a process goal. “Win regionals” → “Execute my pre-performance routine before every match.”
2️⃣ Pick one daily habit that supports that goal. Sleep, nutrition, reflection, recovery. I’d recommend choosing your weakest link.
3️⃣ Rate the effort, not the outcome. After each session, score yourself 1–5 on how well you stuck to the process. That number will tell you way more about your growth than the scoreboard ever could.
Motivation fades, results fluctuate, and goals change shape, but habits built on the process stay steady. So the next time your drive dips and you start doom-spiralling about not being “on track,” please zoom back in.
Because performance isn’t built on big wins. It’s built on small, boring, beautifully consistent actions that compound over time. Focus on those, and the outcomes tend to take care of themselves.
And if all else fails… just remember: even Rome wasn’t built in a day (and it probably had a few days off, too)
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