Foundation Fitness Co.

This way of being more specific helps solidify the goal in our minds and keep us focused. An example: I want to gain 10 pounds of lean muscle by December 31st, 2025. Specifically, 10 ponds. I can measure by taking body scans and/or measurements. It’s an achievable, realistic amount, as opposed to gaining 50 pounds of muscle. There’s also an end date, a time boundary in which I should push to reach my goal.

The more specific the SMART goal, the stronger pull the goal will have for you.

Process Goals

Process goals are kind of the flip-side of outcome goals. Remember back in Algebra 1, where you had x+2=5? That’s an outcome goal. You have the end in mind, and you figure out how to get there. The flip-side would be 3+2=x, where we put in place the process we’ll follow, and the outcome, though possibly unknown, will arrive if we follow the plan.

A real life example: say we still wanted to gain muscle. Instead of hounding on how much and in what time frame, we’ll focus on what we can do to maximize our effectiveness at getting there. (i.e. the process part of a SMART goal.) If we still wanted to build that muscle, we’ll focus on the process: I’m going to focus on building lean muscle by lifting weights 4 days a week and following my coach’s macro plan for me for 8 weeks. It’s still SMART, but it’s focused on process, not just the outcome.

In my opinion, this way is more solid and effective than outcome-based goals.

Identity Goals

We can also take it one step further, to the most effective of the three goal types, to identity-based goals.

Our identity is the soul of who we are. It encompasses “us.” And when we set out on a path of health and fitness, we are reforming ourselves. When I first meet each of my clients, I ask things like “what are your goals,” “how much weight do you want to gain,” and “are there any specific areas you’d like to focus on?” Most answers are outcome-based, such as wanting to lose/gain a specific number, bigger/smaller body part, or just generally wanting to be healthier or stronger.

While these are great goals, especially if we make them more specific, the execution of how to get there is the struggle. In the book, Clear talks about making changes more powerful by using not objective or process goals, but goals tied to our identity. The example he uses are two people trying to stop smoking. When asked if they want to bum one, one replies “I’m trying to quit.” The other replies “I’m not a smoker.”

This seems like such a small change, just semantics, really. But words and mindset hold so much power in how we view ourselves. “I’m trying to quit” leaves enough ambiguity where one could just slip up and have one or two. “I’m not a smoker” closes the deal. It ties the action to who you are not what you’re doing, and that makes all the difference. It’s now part of your identity, and if you identify as a non-smoker, why would you smoke? It no longer makes sense.

Clear also talks about a woman who lost a significant amount of weight by being a healthy person. When faced with decisions, she’d ask herself, “would a healthy person do this?” And if the answer was no, she’d put the food down or make the healthier choice.

Immediate Application

How could this help you?

Try it this week: picture yourself where you want to be, ideal body, ideal life, etc. When faced with decisions, ask yourself, “Would ideal BK do this?” (but use yourself, obviously.) If the answer is yes, proceed. If the answer is no, stop it.

Think of how much simpler this could make things. Figure out what kind of person you want to be (or don’t want to be), and start changing your identity. “The process of building habits is actually the process of becoming yourself.”

I’m not saying you have to change everything, but try this week to see what your ideal self would do. If your decisions each day support that person you want to be, you’ll slowly start to change yourself into that person.

–BK