It’s been 2016 for a couple weeks now and it’s around this time that athletes get to see space in their local gyms decrease in size after the start-of-year surge.
This will, of course, drop off, as the least committed fail to even make it through their complimentary month membership.
Shortly, as February and March roll around, those still there shouldn’t have to wait long for their turn on the leg press machine.
So often, even the most die-hard resolutioners fail to carry through. As an athlete, goal-setting is essential for success.
Goals are what drive the process towards success and therefore must be thoroughly thought through. Pick up any book on goal-setting and it is likely to contain many annoying acronyms designed to help you achieve your goals.
Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t write this post without mentioning one of them. SMART goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
A specific goal is narrowly defined. Vague goals, such as, “wanting to be more active” fail because it is hard to create a sufficient roadmap towards that goal. There also needs to be a way to measure progress, otherwise it can become too daunting. Having an end date, or a timely aspect, to the goal is important but I believe it has to be flexible.
A rigid timeline fails to consider that we are humans and things don’t always work as linearly as we’d like. Having flexibility in your goals allows you to stray, but get back on track; it allows you to progress if you reach your goal sooner than expected, and it allows a bit more time if you aren’t quite there yet.
Attainable and realistic are essentially the same thing and this is often the hardest part of goal-setting; too easy and you’ll get bored, too hard and you’ll lose commitment.
Another thing I’ve learned through my years is that goals must absolutely be written down, and preferably shared with people you care about. Having a support network which can help keep you on track and accountable will significantly increase your odds of success.
Also, it helps to set benchmarks along the way; little mini goals that show you’re on the right path. And when you reach those benchmarks, take the time to celebrate them.
The goals I most fondly remember achieving are the ones where I was having the most fun in the process.
My goal for 2016 revolves around the Rio Olympics. I’m planning on making the top eight in the 20km and 50km and putting myself in a position, where, should some of the better athletes falter, I can fight for a medal.
Along the way, I have races and key training sessions where I can judge my progress towards this goal. I have a roadmap of what I need to be doing each week to give me the best chance of reaching this goal but it isn’t set in stone, it can be adapted. At the end of each day, I note if I’ve done all I can to progress towards that end goal.
And if come August I can look back and see that I answered yes nine out of ten times, then no matter the outcome, I can be happy with the process I took to get there.
