Setting goals

Athletes (and people) who succeed are goal-oriented and they have a vision. They create sensory-rich dreams and they turn those dreams into action through goal setting. Goal setting is a master skill for personal growth and peak performance. If you don't know where you are headed, you're probably going to wind up somewhere other than you want to be.

Dick Hannula, one of the most successfulhigh school swimming coaches, said 'Motivation depends in a very large part on goal setting. The coach must have goals, the team must have goals, each swimmer must have goals. Goals keep everyone on target'. Goal setting is a way of bringing the future into the present so you can take action now. Goals improve performance, and the quality of practices. They clarify expectations and help increase self confidence by seeing yourself get better. They increase the motivation to achieve.

Goal setting must be S.M.A.R.T. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable (should be within your control), Realistic (believable), and Time-bound (there is an accomplishment date).  Like Dich Hannule said, 'goals must be high enough to excite you, yet not so high that you cannot vividly imagine them. Goals must be attainable, but just out of reach for now'.

You should encourage yourselves and/or your athletes to set daily or short-term goals. The way to achieve long-term goals is to break them down into smaller steps. Effective goal setting is like a staircase, each step is an action step - an increment of progress.The old saying is 'Inch by inch it's a cinch'.

If you want more information in goal setting and sport psychology, I reccomend you to read G.Mack and D.Casstevens' ''Mind Gym''.