We all face ups and downs in our lives – both personal and professional.
So many times it happens that we are so focussed on the outcome of a particular situation and how we will be happy / successful once when we achieve it and when things do not go as we planned, we feel frustrated and angry.
We will not get what we want always and we will hit roadblocks, diversions, landslides and avalanches in our journeys. This is the normal process of life.
We have been taught from the start to be goal focussed. We teach a child that when they ace a test, they will get a reward. The reward and outcome theory is implanted in our brain since childhood. We diligently follow it through our lives and it does bring success since we strive higher and work harder and that always pays.
But what happens when we don’t get what we want or we don’t reach where we wanted. A majority of us will feel disappointed, angry and frustrated. We get so attached to the outcome and the win or reward that we stop enjoying and focussing on the process.
What if we focus on the process and commit to it rather than getting attached to the outcome?
Highly successful and happy people are more focussed on the process and their long term commitment to it. They are not bothered much by the reward or the outcome. For them, the reward is only an accessory or a by-product of the process. They are also not hurt or disappointed by the negative outcome of their efforts. They will move on easily and roadblocks and breakdowns cannot stop them in their path to greatness.
We can implement this both in our personal and professional lives.
- What if we don’t daydream about the happy life we will have together with our new friend / partner and just commit to the process of the journey and then see how it goes.
- What if we don’t think about the bonus that we will get at the end of the project delivery, but commit to the process and ensure that each project is delivered successfully.
- What if we don’t focus on how once we reach a certain level of income, we will be happy and instead commit to the process of improving our skills and learning each day.
We can apply this process commitment and outcome detachment theory in multiple spheres and it has been proven to lead to a happier, successful and fulfilling life.