Aspen is full of highly motivated athletes who participate in many summer sports, particularly endurance sports such as cycling and running. These athletes have a variety of aspirations that may range from running in Boogie=s five-miler on July 4th to riding in the Leadville 100. But being motivated is not enough if you want to be successful this summer. You also need to set goals that will enable you to work toward performing your best. Motivation without goals is like knowing where you want to go without knowing how to get there. So goals can be thought of as a road map to your desired destination.
Goal setting can have value to you in your training and competitive performances. It increases your commitment and motivation to train and compete. Goal setting provides deliberate steps toward your athletic aspirations. It also helps you plan your training so you know what you need to do to perform your best in competition.
Types of Goals
There are five types of goals that you should established to ensure that you maximize your performances. First, you need to set long-term goals, that is, what you want to ultimately accomplish in your sport. For example, your long-term goal might be to complete the Ride the Rockies next year or run a sub-four hour marathon. Second, seasonal goals should be set, that is, what you want achieve this summer. These could include a certain time in a running race or to complete a mountain bike route. Third, competitive goals specify how you want to perform in specific events this summer, for instance, in the weekly Aspen Cycling Club races. Fourth, training goals tell you what you need to do in your training to reach your competitive, short-term, and long-term goals. Finally, lifestyle goals indicate what you need to do in your general lifestyle to reach the above goals. For example, getting adequate rest and eating a healthy diet are important lifestyle goals. Note that each later goal should lead to earlier goals, culminating in attainment of your long-term goals.
Goal Guidelines
The effectiveness of the goals you set depends on certain criteria you follow in your goal setting program. Goals should be challenging, but realistic and attainable. In other words, set goals you can reach with hard work. Goals that are too low will not help you because they will be reached with little effort. Goals that are too high will hurt your motivation because you will not be able to achieve them no matter how hard you try.
Goals should be specific and concrete. Simply saying, “I am going to go faster” is not an effective goal. Goals should be measurable, for example, in terms of time or distance. They should also be time-limited, that is, goals should be set to be accomplished within a certain time frame. For instance, “I want to improve my per-mile time by 15 seconds by the Basalt Half-Marathon in eight weeks” is an ideal goal.
You should focus on the degree rather than absolute attainment of a goal. There is no certain way to set goals. Not all goals will be reached, but there will always be improvement toward a goal. If you are only concerned with reaching a goal, you may see yourself as a failure if you do not attain that goal. However, if you emphasize improvement toward a goal and do not reach a goal, but improve 50% over your previous level, you are more likely to see yourself as a success. Remember, the effort involved in striving for a goal and improvement toward a goal is as important as reaching it.
Making goals explicit seems to improve motivation and performance. It can be helpful to write the goals down so you can see them on a regular basis. Sharing your goals with your family and friends also appears to be a benefit.
One of the true joys in life is setting goals and achieving them. To that end, getting feedback showing progress toward your goals is very helpful. This can be accomplished in several ways. Maintaining a training log that keeps track of distance, time, heart rate, and other performance-related parameters can assist you seeing tangible evidence of your progress. You can also get goal-related feedback from training partners, coaches, and competitors. All of this information reinforces your efforts and motivates you to keep working hard.
Finally, goal setting is a dynamic process that never really ends. Because it is rarely possible to set perfectly accurate goals, you will have to regularly review and adjust your goals as your summer progresses. Some of your goals may turn out to be too difficult, in which case you will need to reduce them to a more realistic level or give yourself more time to reach them. Goals that are more easily reached than expected should immediately be reset to a higher level.
Goal setting offers you benefits throughout the upcoming outdoor season. It will systematically lead you to your athletic objectives. Goal setting will help you follow a safe and healthy path to your best performances. Finally, at the end of the summer, you will be able to look back with great satisfaction at the progress you have made and the outstanding performances you have achieved.
