A few months ago I set my goal to do an Ironman. The Ironman is a triathlon that consists of swimming 3,8 kilometers, riding 180 kilometers by bicycle, and then running a marathon. Training for a race like this requires going a long way, spending a lot of time, and being willing to make a lot of sacrifices. At the end of the day, the most difficult aspect of this type of training is not the amount of time you spend running, swimming or cycling and the fatigue that comes as a result, but it is the discipline, patience and dedication that you must have. You have to be clear that every day you have to do a little to improve and thus reach your goal.
This same idea can be applied to life in general. We have the mindset that if we focus on the goals we have set for ourselves, then we will achieve them. That it will come to us because we have the perception that we have done a lot to deserve it. There is an excessive fixation with the result versus the process when it should be the other way around. That is, when the result to be achieved has been established, attention must change to how this result will be achieved.
Focusing on the result gives you the feeling that you are static, that you are not progressing because you have not reached it. You are measuring your progress only in the achievements and results obtained. Not being able to achieve the desired result entails a series of negative consequences such as the perception of not having control over the result, blaming yourself, doubting your self-efficacy, etc.
On the other hand, focusing on the process gives you a different perspective and a different path to take. It allows you to build little by little by establishing a series of smaller objectives that are easily achievable, giving you the feeling that you are progressing and that the locus of control is internal. Establish habits and beliefs that lead to achieving the desired results. Focusing on the process allows you to refine it by helping you identify the mistakes that are being made as well as what has been learned and what is being learned. In essence, it is being aware of the present rather than letting anxiety about the future get to you. Therefore, you do not have to focus on whether you are going to reach the goal or not, but rather on not holding back when trying to reach it.
Juan González