As a coach, I’ve never been a huge fan of the typical New Year’s resolution. The New Year brings with it a lot of stress; it brings the baggage of the year before, the things you wanted to do but didn't, our success' and the “failures” we had (more on “failure” in a later post), the good the bad and the ugly of the prior year and the start of something fresh commonly causes a knee jerk reaction at the literal 11th hour to set a goal for the entire upcoming year! And all too often athletes choose to focus on the wrong goal.
Whether or not your New Year’s goals are rushed or tied to an arbitrary January 1st deadline, many of these self-improvement and race goals go unfulfilled. A lot of races get entered and never raced or finished, a lot of target times get missed and a lot of ambitious plans get scrapped but it’s not about lacking motivation or desire. For most triathletes, the issue is goal-setting. Effective triathlon training requires more than just setting high-reaching outcome goals; it needs a plan and process.
I’m not suggesting you set the bar low or avoid “big dreams.” A huge goal can be an incredible motivator, especially if you’re training for a race like a half-Ironman or a marathon. But there’s a difference between outcome goals and process goals, and if you want to achieve your New Year’s resolutions or any other training milestone, it’s essential to understand how these two goal types work together.
Outcome vs. Process Goals: A Dinner Table Story
To make this clearer, let’s look at an example we’ve all probably seen: a young child at the dinner table. Meet Johnny, a determined 3-year-old who comes to the table with one big goal: ice cream. That’s his outcome goal—what he’s after in the end. But like most of us know, Johnny can’t have dessert until he eats his peas. Here, his parents set a process goal: “Johnny, you have to eat your peas to get ice cream.” If Johnny refuses to follow this process, he’ll never reach his outcome. But his older sister Laura, a wise 6-year-old, gets it. She understands that if she eats her peas, she’ll get dessert. Laura finishes her peas, and she’s rewarded with that sweet bowl of ice cream. Meanwhile, Johnny’s still pouting.
This story might sound simple, but it reflects how many triathletes approach their New Year’s resolutions or race training goals. If you set only an outcome goal without a clear plan, it’s like Johnny hoping for ice cream without eating his peas. Alternatively, if you focus only on process goals without knowing the big picture, you might lose motivation, just like Laura would if she had to eat her peas every night without a reward.
Let’s dig into these two goal types, so you can set your New Year’s triathlon goals up for success.
Outcome Goals for Triathlon
Outcome goals focus on the result you want to achieve. For triathletes, these might be goals like completing a triathlon, shaving time off your transitions, or improving swim technique. These goals are great motivators, but they can also feel out of reach if you’re not tracking progress.
For example, let’s say your outcome goal is to complete a half-Ironman by the end of the year. Many athletes fall into the trap of constantly measuring the gap between where they are and where they want to be, which can feel discouraging if progress isn’t visible right away. This fixation on the finish line can lead to burnout or giving up if you don’t also focus on the steps to get there.
Process Goals for Triathlon Training
Process goals are the smaller, actionable steps you can take daily or weekly that help you reach your outcome goal. For triathletes, process goals might include completing specific swim drills twice a week, improving your adherence to bike power targets by 5%, or following a strength training plan to support injury prevention. Unlike outcome goals, process goals are within your control and give you a sense of achievement as you progress.
Using the half-Ironman example, instead of just focusing on finishing the race, a process goal could be to follow a structured 16-week triathlon training plan, logging weekly workouts and tracking your progress. Once you hit the milestone of consistently following the plan, the next process goal might be tracking your nutrition to ensure you are properly fueled and recovering from workouts.
This approach helps you see results at every stage, keeping you motivated through small, manageable victories and giving you a clear path toward your bigger triathlon goal.
Why Triathletes Need Both Outcome and Process Goals
Without an outcome goal, process goals can lose their purpose. Imagine if Laura from our example had to eat peas every night without ever getting dessert. Eventually, she’d lose interest! The same is true for triathlon training. If you’re hitting the gym, swimming, and cycling just for the sake of it, it’s easy to lose focus. But if you’re driven by a bigger goal—whether it’s competing in your first Olympic-distance triathlon or aiming for a PR—you’ll be more motivated to put in the effort.
Set Your Training Goals
As we head into the New Year, let’s approach goal-setting with intention. Pick an outcome goal, Great. But make sure you have a series of process goals in place—daily or weekly steps you can track to keep you moving forward. With both outcome and process goals working together, you’ll set yourself up for success, whether you’re aiming for your first triathlon or marathon, an Ironman finish, Qualifying for Kona, or staying injury-free through the season.
Here’s a simple exercise to help you start: fill in this sentence with your own goals.
“To accomplish____ X_____, I will do ____Y____.”
For example, “To accomplish my goal of finishing my first triathlon, I will follow a 12-week training plan and complete two strength sessions per week.”
Cant fill in the X and Y?
Need help picking the right goals?
Reach out for help! You do not have to decide all on your own. A coach is there to help you on your path to success, and that starts with setting and picking the right goals for you.
About Nick Farr
Nick is the owner and Head Coach at P3 Fitness and has been a dedicated triathlete and runner for over 20 years. With a passion for endurance sports, Nick brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his coaching, specializing in triathlon, running, and cycling. As an accomplished athlete and certified multi-discipline coach, he has guided countless athletes to reach their personal bests and achieve their goals. In his role as a Triathlon coach at P3 Fitness, Nick is committed to helping each individual unlock their full potential through tailored training programs and expert guidance.
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