I Finished Writing My Book
Last week, I finished writing my book. (!!!)
As I typed the final words of Chapter 8,The New Arenas, I had this moment of:
"Wait…there's no way this is actually done."
Every week, I dedicated just one hour to writing.
I didn't complicate it.
I didn't set a word-count goal.
I didn't attach another outcome to the session.
My only goal was to write.
Little did I know that one hour each week would eventually turn into a completed book just a few months later.
Some days, I felt like a machine and the words poured out of me.
Other days, I hit mental blocks and couldn't figure out how I wanted to piece a chapter together.
But instead of getting frustrated by the outcome, I kept bringing myself back to the process.
What I think
Goals are awesome.
We love setting them, chasing them, and experiencing the satisfaction of finally achieving them.
But not all goals are created equal.
There areoutcome goals—like running a half marathon, losing 10 pounds, finishing a Spartan Race, or writing a book.
Outcome goals are helpful because they give us a clear destination. They show us where we want to go.
But we can get into trouble when the outcome is the only thing we focus on.
Enter:process goals.
Process goals are not centered on the final result. They are the actions you commit to repeating along the way.
For example:
An outcome goal might be to lose 10 pounds.
A process goal might be to strength train three days a week or eat at least 130 grams of protein each day.
The process goals are what eventually lead you to the outcome.
This is especially helpful when the outcome feels big, overwhelming, or far away.
For me, writing a book felt BIG,.
Where do I start?
How do I organize everything?
How am I ever going to finish an entire book?
Instead of becoming consumed by the finished product, I made one simple commitment to myself:
I would dedicate one hour every week to writing.
My success was not measured by a certain word count or how many pages I completed.
It was measured by one question:
Did I follow through on the commitment I made to myself?
Some weeks, the words poured out of me.
Other weeks, I spent most of the hour working through a mental block.
But I kept showing up.
Because I stayed focused on the process rather than obsessing over the outcome, the book eventually felt like it almost wrote itself.
Not because writing it was always easy, but because I kept honoring the process that would get me there.
Outcome goals give you a North Star.
Process goals give you the framework to reach it.
You need both.
Set the destination—but then shift your attention to the actions you can control today.
The one degree shift
What is one process goal you're committing to?
Email me[email protected]what that is and I'll send you something :)
Want to learn more?
This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with CEO and author Heather Verity on theSeek the Edge Podcast.
Heather joined us to talk about her book,The R Factor, which we selected as our XYL Summer Book Club read, and the journey that shaped the leader she is today.
We talked about focusing on what you can control, responding intentionally when life does not go as planned, and the lessons Heather has learned throughout her personal and professional journey.
Listen here: The R Factor with Heather Verity | Seek the Edge Podcast
Always believe⚡️
Kelsey Lensman
