Don't Miss the Forest for the Trees!

It is no secret that in contemporary culture, we obsess over metrics and celebrate reaching goals and milestones, from the quantified self to the OKR-driven organizations. But are goals and metrics truly markers of success? Or are we missing the real driver of progress and achievement?

As it happens, goals are indeed overhyped and overrated. And they tend to blur from vision what is truly important to our success. The unsung hero of true progress isn’t the goals we set but the process we follow to create and achieve those goals.

Here's why:

Let's say you just met a very ambitious quarterly goal such as a sales quota, new user registration milestone, or a certain conversion metric on your website. Is that in and of itself grounds for celebration and a sign of progress? Does that mean you are getting closer to ultimate success? Maybe. But maybe not. What if those goals were not the best goals to pursue this quarter after all and should not have been prioritized? What if the reason you met those goals is that you sacrificed efficiency or undermined your long-term viability as a business to meet them? What if those goals were met not because of any action on your side, but because of certain temporary changes in external market circumstances beyond your control?

Without knowing the process whereby your goals were set and met, your successes can be short lived.

The Unsung Hero of Progress: Process

While goals set the direction, it's the process that powers sustainable progress. Goals set and met without a robust underlying process are like nets randomly cast into the sea in the hopes of catching a school of fish.

Teach someone to fish (the process) and they will not go hungry again.

Superb Execution Demands Obsession with Process

Very few of us are obsessed with process, and that undermines our path to success. Those who sustain progress over a long period of time and achieve extraordinary outcomes tend to purposefully follow a disciplined process, from how they set goals to how they evaluate results.

Here are some examples:

1. Scientific Discovery: The Flu Vaccine ??

Australian virologist Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet in the 1930s was researching the influenza virus by attempting to grow it in fertilized chicken eggs. In one of his experiments, he found that when he inoculated the eggs with a virulent strain of the virus, the chickens that hatched from these eggs became immune to that strain of influenza. This was an unexpected outcome, as his intention was to study the virus's behavior and propagation, not to induce immunity. He could have simply ignored this?? unexpected outcome, but instead he experimented further to understand the root cause of the anomaly.

This incident underscores the importance of following a rigorous process and evaluate achievement of goals through that lense, the scientific method in this case, which includes observation, experimentation, and the willingness to explore unexpected results. This discovery played a pivotal role in understanding viral infections and immunity, laying the groundwork for the development of flu vaccines and saving millions of lives eventually.

2. Innovation: Burbn's Epic Pivot ??

Instagram didn't start as we know it today. It began as Burbn, a location based check-in app cluttered with features, which wasn't a hit with users. Founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger dug into their analytics and ran experiments to determine what features were most liked by their users. Their key insight from this process was that instead of using the check-in feature, people loved the app's photo-sharing features. The rest is history.

But such "pivots" are not unique at all. According to one prominent early-stage fund:

45% of startups pivot before their seed round

3. Entertainment: The Serious Comedians ??

Comedians such as Steve Martin, Jim Carrey, and Jerry Seinfeld, all known for their wide range of talents, have often spoken about the importance of following a rigorous process of constant practice, experimentation, and learning from failures to refine their performances.

In various interviews, all of them have described their early years performing stand-up comedy, where they would test out different material and personas on stage to see what resonated with the audience. They viewed each performance as an experiment, using the immediate feedback from the audience to iterate on their act. This process of trial and error, combined with their relentless dedication to improvement, allowed them to develop their unique comedic styles that would eventually make them some of the most recognizable and beloved entertainers in the world.

4. Sports: The Evolution of the Golden State Warriors ??

In sports, the transformation of the Golden State Warriors into an NBA dynasty highlights the importance of process in team development. Their success can be attributed to a philosophy that emphasized ball movement, shooting, and defense, a stark contrast to the prevailing trends in the league. This process-oriented approach, focused on teamwork and innovation in playstyle, culminated in multiple championships, underscoring how a commitment to a particular process can redefine success in competitive domains.

Process vs Outcome Matrix

A bad outcome obtained while following a thoughtful process is often fertile grounds for a new discovery, whereas a positive outcome as a result of a bad process can be dangerously misleading, as illustrated by this matrix:

A dynamic and evolving decision-making "process" is what transforms the raw fuel of ambition into achievement. Without it, ultimate success remains an elusive dream. By committing to a disciplined process, we forge our own path, ensuring that progress is a product of deliberate action, not random chance.

The journey (process) inevitably shapes its destination (result)

Action Over Ambition

While ambitious goals can be motivating, they don't necessarily lead to action. In fact, without the right process, ambitious goals are likely to become demoralizing or result in premature abandonment of the goal, with teams wondering why bother? .

The refrain "Aim for Mars to land on Moon" may sound poetic and inspiring, but if there is no thoughtful process in place that make the moon landing a reality, the flight crew is bound to be lost in space. In fact, the crew is unlikely to get on board to begin with.

?? A Call to Process

As we aim for our next achievements, let’s remember: real magic lies not in the goals themselves, but in the processes we create and refine to reach them. It’s the journey, powered by a robust process, that drives genuine progress. Goals are the destination, but the process is the engine that propels us forward.

?? Let's Share and Learn Together

Have you also found obsession with certain goals got in the way of your real progress? Have you experienced a moment where the process led you to a surprising or significant outcome? Please share your insights, reflections, and questions in the comments. ??