In my last post, we talked about the importance of having goals. This little guidebook will now tell you step by step of how to set goals the right way. So, take a paper and a pencil and follow the ensuing 10 steps to plan the next season & beyond. 

1. Write down your goals for the upcoming season. 

What do you want to achieve? 

Which results and outcomes are you aiming for? 

How can you improve your personal performance compared to last year? 

How can you enhance your mental performance? 

2. Differentiate between long-term, middle-term and short-term goals. 

What would you like to have achieved in 5 years? Where do you see yourself?

Until when do you want to achieve your goals?

3. Make sure your goals are reachable, but still challenging. The more self-confident you are about your ability of reaching them, the more challenging they should be. If you're a little bit doubtful, make sure your goals are in possible reach if you try hard.

What do you need to reach these goals? 

4. Think about your motivation of why these goals matter to you. 💓

What drives you? Why are they important to you?

Why do you want to reach these goals?

5. Develop a long-term plan for the whole year and a short-term plan for the next weeks with help of your coach. Each step is important.

When is which competition?

What do you particularly need to train? 

How can you prepare in the best possible way for these competitions?

How can the training plan respond to your weaknesses?

6.  Execute the plan. 

No worries - it is normal that this is hard. Find out your personal strategies to stay motivated and focussed. When it's particularly hard, remind yourself of why you do this (see n°5).

7. Talk to your coach and get feedback. 

What do you need to achieve your goals? 

What needs to change in your plan in order to achieve your goal?

What could you improve?

How does he/she perceive your progress?

8. Make your goals (partly) public. Share them with your (close) friends or family. Tell them what you aim for. Having someone around you who knows about your goals has two main advantages:

You have important people supporting you.

Knowing that someone else knows about your goals might make you feel more obligated to follow them.

9. Be confident about reaching your goals! 😎

10. Stay motivated! All of us have these periods when we absolutely feel like giving up, when we don't see any progress in training happening or when one or two competition didn't go as well as we would have planned. I can almost guarantee that you will face this challenge, too. 

Remind yourself of what drives you and why you are doing this!

What is your vision?

What is your goal beyond this season? 

 

GOOD LUCK!! ☘

Madeleine.