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Goal
Setting
Overview
To be successful in athletics, one has to define success. One way to
do this is by setting goals. Goals need not be solely based on winning
and losing; after all, races only have one winner. Indeed, every athlete
can be successful by setting his or her own goals based on his or her own
criteria for success.
Athletic goals, like all goals, should meet a number of criteria:
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First, for the goal to be motivating, it must be challenging,
yet achievable. Put another way, achieving the goal should be a
"stretch."
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Second, the goal must be measurable. For example,
an athlete might set a goal of finishing in the top 10 at the championship
meet. Another example of a measurable goal might be for the athlete to
run an entire 5 km without stopping.
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Third, the goal should be written down. Writing
down goals keeps a record of them and fosters commitment to achieving them.
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Finally, goals should be reviewed periodically.
Adjustments may be needed based upon achievement or lack of achievement.
Ultimately, athletes need to set their own goals. A coach can guide the
athlete towards reasonable goals, but in the end, the athlete is the only
one capable of reaching the goals. In short, the athlete must "buy in"
to the goals if goals are to be motivating towards high performance.
Multiple goals are useful for long term motivation. For example, an
athlete might have seasonal goals of finishing in the top half at the championship
race, losing five pounds, and making two new friends. The chief advantage
of having multiple goals is that if a single goal is not achieved, then
the athlete still has a chance for success by meeting one or more of his
or her other goals.
Individual Goals
Listed below are examples of a number of possible individual goals.
Please note that setting different time frames for different goals is another
way to set multiple goals.
Daily:
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Complete the entire workout
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Run faster during the workout than I did last week
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Learn two new things about proper uphill running technique
Weekly:
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Attend and complete all scheduled workouts
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Help a team mate improve his or her placing in the next race
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Improve my own placing by five places over last week's race
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Learn, practice, and apply one new mental training technique
Seasonal:
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Win a medal at the championship race
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Be able to run for 45 minutes without stopping
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Complete 20 chin ups
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Feel satisfied that I've pushed myself to the limit in the last race
Career:
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Complete a marathon race
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Run a 10 km race in 35 minutes
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Develop a daily exercise habit
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Learn enough about the sport to start coaching others
Team Goals
Since x-country running is a team event, it is useful to have one or
more team goals. Typically, these are performance goals (e.g. a team medal
at the championship race.) However, other team goals are also possible.
For example, the team might aim to meet for workouts at least twice a week
from January to April. Again, to be motivating, the team goals should be
set by the team members to ensure "buy in."
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