PROCESS VS. OUTCOME OBJECTIVES

The importance of focusing attention on technical execution.

It is critical to distinguish between the different types of goals to optimize performance.

Process goals focus on the specific actions and technical behaviors that the athlete must execute during the performance.

These goals are 100% under the athlete's control, which reduces anxiety and increases self-efficacy.

By focusing on "how" something is done, flow state and technical accuracy are facilitated. Consider an archer in competition.

If his mind is set on the gold medal, he loses focus on what he is doing now.

A process approach would involve focusing exclusively on maintaining bow stability, slow breathing and smooth string release.

By prioritizing these controllable technical elements, the likelihood of a good shot increases, with the result being a natural consequence of good execution.

Dangers of focusing exclusively on the final score.

Outcome goals refer to the final outcome of a sporting event, such as winning a match, obtaining a ranking or beating an opponent.

While they are necessary for long-term motivation and overall direction, focusing too much on them during competition can be detrimental.

The problem lies in the fact that the outcome does not depend entirely on the athlete; factors such as the opponent's performance, referee decisions or luck play a role.

If a tennis player enters the court obsessed solely with winning the set, every point lost becomes a direct threat to his or her goal, which triggers stress and muscle tension. This can lead to conservative or rushed play.

In contrast, if your focus is on performance goals (such as maintaining a high first-serve percentage), you can remain calm and motivated even if the score is temporarily adverse, since your assessment of success is based on your own behavior and not on external factors.

Summary

Process objectives focus on technical actions under full control of the athlete. By focusing on "how" the movement is executed, anxiety is reduced and accuracy is facilitated.

Focusing exclusively on the end result, such as winning, can be detrimental during competition. Uncontrollable factors such as the opponent or luck can trigger stress and muscle tension if the score is adverse.

Prioritizing technical execution over the score allows to keep calm. If the athlete eva luates success based on his own behavior and performance, his motivation will be more stable and resilient in the face of pressure.