Involvement vs. Investment: Knowing the difference makes all the difference.

What determines the level of enjoyment we get from trying to achieve a goal?

Humans love setting goals. We love pulling out the notepad and scribbling down our desires and what we hope to attain for a better life. And the space between what we consider worthy of our time and effort is vast! Maybe we want to lose 10 pounds before the summer. Or perhaps we want to make more money. Or we want to get up every morning at a specific time. All are good intentions pursued by countless people. But I wonder if we are getting the most out of our experience while striving for what we want?

To get a deeper understanding, we need to look at the difference between investment and involvement.

I recently heard a recording from George Pransky on this subject entitled “The Game of Life and Living.” I strongly recommend listening to this if you get the chance. But it got me thinking.

Investment in something calls for some desired outcome. By definition, the word investment means “the action or process of investing money for profit or material result.” Investment doesn’t necessitate money, in the sense that I’m suggesting. I’m speaking to the personal investment you make when you start to pursue a goal. You want to be, do, or have something, and you are personally, emotionally, and psychologically invested in the project.

On the other hand, involvement in a project is the degree to which you devote time and attention to your goal. There is no mind paid to the outcome. You’re in it for the sake of experiencing the process, not the process being a means to an end.

So what is the difference in how we approach our goals?

When we are invested, we may start cheerfully doing what we believe is necessary, but at some point, we lose steam. And from the unavoidable burnout, along comes our old friend, willpower. Sure, you may not feel like getting up early to hit the gym, but dammit, you are going to look good in a bathing suit this summer if it kills you!

When willpower shows up, you can bet some of the jelly has been taken out of your donut. The initial thrill of the goal starts to wear off, and you begin the long and arduous task of “pushing through,” “grinding,” or “hustling.” The work goes from fun and exciting to something that now requires grit and determination. Hey, we’ve all been there.

Once the process of reaching your goals becomes a chore, you are definitely invested in the outcome. And the problem with outcomes is that sometimes they go our way, and sometimes they don’t. So when we believe that reaching our goals will make us happier, we may be setting ourselves up for a hard break. You may win the big door prize; you may not.

Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to achieve something because you may not make it. I’m saying there’s another way. A way in where your well-being isn’t on the line if you don’t hit your target. This is where involvement comes into play.

Involvement in a goal is a fundamentally different approach. It’s more about your capacity to enjoy the process of reaching the goal than actually attaining it. You learn to love the process no matter which way the wind blows. And when you love taking action, it makes no difference what is going on around you or how far you’ve made it. Funnily enough, it seems the more you enjoy the process without much attachment to the outcome, the more the outcome favors you.

But don’t take my word for it. Try this yourself and see what happens.

What do you notice when you throw your whole self into the process and not be concerned over the outcome?

How does it feel to love taking action for the sake of taking action?

You may be surprised by the results!