Research on goal-setting in the worlds of business and sport and exercise has consistently shown that goal setting can lead to enhanced performance. Goal-setting is a powerful technique that appears to work by providing a direction for our efforts, focusing our attention, promoting persistence and increasing our confidence (providing we achieve the goals we set ourselves). One of the main problems is that not everyone is aware of the principles of goal-setting and how to apply them effectively. This article will help to this end by providing basic goal setting background and guidelines. There are 2 camps when it comes to goal setting: those who say to aim for the stars so at worst you hit the moon, while others contend that setting smaller more frequent and attainable goals is the most effective. I believe a combination of both is suitable. The Vision Its always good to have a vision of what you want to achieve but you also need a plan for how you are going to attain this goal. Dream goals inspire us and give us a target to aim for, but in order to deliver the goods they must be specific and realistic. As such, vague goals such as to get fit or to do my best should be replaced by more objective and measurable alternatives. If you only focus on your dream goal, you can easily become overwhelmed when you think about what its going to take to achieve it. Research suggests that focusing only on long-term dream goals does not lead to enhanced performances and desired results. Think Smaller Success breeds success. In order to achieve bigger successes in life you must start out with smaller ones. Focusing on one small step at a time and achieving that goal develops confidence, and confidence allows you to move on to more challenging targets. It is the day- to-day short-term goals that provide the key to these successes. Short-term goals, being either daily, weekly or monthly, are the most important because they provide frequent and habitual focus . Past research on Olympic athletes found that setting daily training goals was one factor that distinguished successful performers from their less successful counterparts. Goal Setting 101 Here are five prerequisites for successful goal-setting: 1. Develop a vision. You need to decide what you want.
2. You must be committed. Therefore, your goals must be worth striving for.
3. You have to believe that the goals you set are achievable. Goals that are too easy to achieve provide little motivation; but, on the other hand, unrealistically difficult goals can lead to loss of confidence and eventual rejection of the goal. You must consider potential barriers to your goals and plan around them if possible.
4. Focus on one step at a time. Build on small successes and over time your confidence will soar, leading you to your ultimate goal.
5. Only set goals that you can control. We can only control 3 things in life: our money, our time, and where we direct our energy. Learning how to set goals that are within your control is essential. The following is an example of goal setting that I personally used in my life. See if you can identify the aforementioned 5 goal-setting characteristics in this story. Ever since I was a child my ultimate dream was to play professional soccer in Europe by the time I was finished University. I was extremely committed to achieving this goal, going as far as turning down job opportunities and family vacations to the Caribbean so that I wouldnt miss a game or practice with my youth club team. I always believed that I could achieve my dream. I was confident in my ability and was certain my dream would come to fruition. I had developed this confidence through many years of successful competition and through practice and training. It also helped that I made many mistakes along the way that ultimately served as great learning tools. I came up against many barriers during my time including naysayers, the potential of moving to a foreign country, sporting politics, and many others. However, I wouldnt allow any of these to deter me for they were simply excuses and not valid reasons for stopping me. I focused on one step at at time over the years by addressing particular parts of my game that needed improvement, staying focused and patient, and being disciplined. I realized that for a Canadian to play professionally overseas I had to earn the right to do so. As such, I made it my mandate that I would be the best goalkeeper (my position) for my age in Canada. To achieve such a status required me to devote the majority of my time and physical and mental energy to being the best. I spent years training twice a day, training and playing with my university and club team, and bettering my psychology to give me that extra edge. Upon completing my university degree, at the age of the 23, my dream was realized when I was invited to pursue my dream in France. So as you can see, anything is possible with belief in yourself and effective goal setting. All you have to remember is that if its been done before, then you can do it. Thats it! |
