The Power of Process

On this last day of my challenge to publish 30 pieces of writing in 30 days, I'm feeling reflective. The key to making this challenge both navigable and helpful was focusing on the process, not the result. My goal was simple: publish every day. It didn't matter what I wrote about or if it was any good. I just needed to get comfortable pushing that publish button. This approach unburdened me and, ironically, gave me greater opportunities for success than obsessing about success ever would have.

I want to get better at writing. I want to create content that people find interesting and valuable. But if I'd set out to write something compelling every day, it would have been paralyzing. I'd have been overly critical, over-edited, and produced very little.

Writing more is a necessary step towards gaining proficiency and giving myself the opportunity to write something good. By mandating that I work the process, I put myself in a position to achieve the higher goal. Focusing solely on that higher goal wouldn't have gotten me there.

You might wonder: Why do I have to play this game with myself? Aren't I smart enough to deconstruct the steps needed to achieve the end result? Maybe. But generally, no. For me, it's almost like only by abandoning the higher goal could I get closer to it.

Trying hard to achieve something is great. It's noble. There's no shame in it. But it's not reliable or sustainable. Dedicating oneself to a process, however, is a much better pathway to long-term goal achievement. And not just achievement once, but on an ongoing basis.

I remember listening to a podcast that discussed how Taylor Swift and Frank Ocean are hit-making machines. The reason isn't just that they try hard. They've dedicated themselves to honing their craft, constantly refining their process of creation. This builds a machine of success.

Similarly, I recently listened to Lenny Rachitsky interview Nikita Bier about his "playbook for winning at consumer apps." Bier emphasized that success in consumer social apps is capricious. What he and his team excelled at was the process. They developed a systematic approach: target a single community with an app, measure its performance, track usage sharing within the community, then measure if it spread to other communities. This refinement of process puts one in the zone to be successful.

You can't just want six-pack abs. You have to love each and every day in the gym. Ironically, focusing on progress rather than perfection is what brings you closer to perfection. Keep taking swings. The harder and more consistently you work, the luckier you get.

Ultimately, it's the dedication to process that opens the door to achieving our goals consistently over time. This approach often leads to success in ways we couldn't have predicted or forced. So when you're staring down a big goal, try shifting your focus. Instead of fixating on the end result, pour your energy into refining and showing up for the daily process. The results might surprise you.