Heyy amigo,
If you’ve been kind of stressed out lately for not hitting some of your goals, then today’s email is for you.
Goals.... let's make sure we are on the same page about what a goal is.
According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, a goal is "the end toward which effort is directed". So anything you direct your effort to can be considered a goal.
I think there are two types of goals: input goals and output goals.
Output goals are typically what you call results. You have influence over them, but often there are MANY factors that are outside of your control. (Examples: get a girlfriend/boyfriend, make $500,000 per year, lose 20 pounds, etc.)
Input goals are things that are 100% in your control. (Examples: be confident and friendly on your dates, apply to X amount of jobs, do X amount of push-ups per day, etc.)
So which one is better?
One common goal people have is trying to lose weight. An output goal would be to try and lose X amount of weight by a certain date.
Many UFC fighters are able to lose 15-20 lbs one week before a weigh-in.
But when regular people try to lose weight based on output goals, they tend to get DEMORALIZED every time they step on the scale. Instead, they should focus on input goals such as going on a run 4 days per week or limiting their carbs intake to a certain amount every day.
When we focus too much on output goals, it just makes us VERY stressed.
You can do everything in your ability to try and get your dream job, but you still might not get the job. You can do everything in your ability to try and make your wife/husband happy, but she/he might still leave you.
The results are NEVER guaranteed, so stop worrying so much. Simply focus on the input goals that will move you closer to the outcome you want.
If you liked today’s email, leave a comment.
As always, thanks for reading!
-George 🐙