Overly focusing on your goals may actually be counterproductive in the long run. Take it from an Olympic athlete.

After Brenda Martinez, a US Olympic runner, lost her balance in the 800-meter run, she lost the race that would qualify her for the Olympics. Instead of focusing on her failure, she prepared to win in the next race. "The track doesn't care about your feelings," she told New York Magazine Intelligence. "You've just got to move forward." She did indeed move forward and ended up winning third place in the 1500-meter race a week later to qualify for the Olympics in Rio. Instead of attaching herself to the goal of making the Olympic team, she concentrated on the process.

Researchers from Harvard found that overemphasizing goals based on measurable outcomes often leads to risk-taking, improper behavior and reduced motivation.

When you become overly focused on achieving the goal, you may lose sight of your original purpose for accomplishing the goal in the first place. Another danger is actually completing the goal without setting a plan for what's next. For example, some marathon runners experience what's called the "post-race blues". Achieving your goal may cause you to drop the good habits that got you there in the first place.

"After you set a goal, it's best to shift your focus from the goal itself to the process that gives you the best chance of achieving it; and to judge yourself based on how well you manage that process," columnist Brad Stulberg said.

Ultimately, changing your mindset from goals to process will lead you to achieve small victories on your way to accomplishing long-term goals. It leaves you with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, regardless of the measurable outcome.