You are here: Training » Goal Setting

Goal Setting

One of the goals of any clinic or training program is to provide each participant with the tools necessary to achieve their individual athletic / recreational goals.

In order for this goal to be realized, we need to have a solid understanding of the personality, physical ability, and personal goals of each member of this clinic.

Goal Setting

Every training plan needs structure, and to build structure, the athlete (yes, you are an athlete!) needs to establish goals that can be worked toward. Without clearly established goals, the established structure (what you do from day to day, week to week) will be effectively meaningless. Without structure, most goals, at least the ones that matter, will be unattainable.

Goals should be broken down accordingly:

Daily Goals: could be as simple as eating more fruit and vegetables. Perhaps you want to stretch more. Whatever it is, it’s about doing at least one thing a day that is helping you realize your larger, long-term goals.

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."
            Helen Keller

Short Term Goals: to finish your first marathon. Build towards running 4 days a week. Maybe it’s to run a certain race or route faster than years before.

“I am not interested in the past. I am interested in the future, for that is where I expect to spend the rest of my life.”

Long Term Goals: To qualify for the Boston Marathon. Maybe you want to complete the Knee Knacker or tackle the Ironman one day. Or it could be as simple as gaining the ability to run whenever, wherever.

“Establishing goals is all right if you don't let them deprive you of interesting detours.”

            Doug Larson

Dream Goals: Make the Olympics. Win the Olympics. Have the world embrace you as an icon or courage and dedication… or maybe you want to bike across Canada. Whatever it is, let this dream inspire and motivate you.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

            Les Brown 

Your goals need to reasonable and attainable. If you set your goals to high, then you might not attain your short-term goals, and then you will more than likely get discouraged and never give yourself an opportunity to achieve your long-term goals. But allow your dream goal to be as big as your imagination will allow.

Your goals should never be motivated by the aesthetic (how you look).

So sit down, think about why you are involved in this, or any other physical activity. Think about what you want to get out of this, and other, athletic / recreational experiences. Once you have established what your long term and dream goal is, write down ten reasons why you want to achieve these goals.

“Write it down. Written goals have a way of transforming wishes into wants; cant's into cans; dreams into plans; and plans into reality. Don't just think it - ink it!”

After identifying what each of these goals will be, the next step is to identify what will be required to achieve each of these goals.

In order to do this, we need to establish what your strengths and weaknesses as a person and as an athlete are.

Questionnaire

1.      What do you think your strengths as a person are?

2.      What do you think your weaknesses as a person are?

3.      What do you think your strengths as an athlete are?

4.      What do you think your weaknesses as an athlete are?

5.      Do you think you have a positive image of yourself?

6.      Do you enjoy your activity of choice (running, snowshoeing, etc)? Why?

7.      Do you think of yourself as a competitive person?

8.      What motivates you more: positive or negative reinforcement?

9.      How would you rate your pain threshold?

Remember that this is for you! Do this for yourself and only compare yourself to you! If you manage to do this, you will never fail.

There are enough stresses in your everyday life. If you are not enjoying your activity of choice, then you should find a sport that you do enjoy.

Words like patience, persistence, heart, dedication, community, teamwork, and fun should be at the root of your athletic lexicon.

Good luck!