Carrie Cheadle, M.A. Sport and Exercise Mental Skills Coach

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In this issue...

  • Working on short-term goals and creating a road map to achieve your long-term vision.

  • Using extrinsic motivators while still boosting your intrinsic motivation.

  • Rewarding the efforts of your hard work.



"Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan."
- Tom Landry



Get Yours

Reward yourself not because you feel you deserve it, but because you want to recognize your effort and hard work. It's a subtle, but important distinction. If your motivation to reward yourself comes from feeling you deserve it, then you run the risk of feeling there are times when you don't deserve it. You don't want to punish yourself; you want the motivation behind your rewards to symbolize incentives and recognition. Your intention behind the reward and your choice of reward is what can make that distinction. Keeping this in mind, make a list of your own potential rewards. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Equipment upgrade - Having new gear can be motivating in and of itself! New ski gloves, new components for your bike, or even new workout clothes can be a great reward for a season of dedicated work.

Go to sports camp - Treat yourself to your own training camp. Not only can you meet great people in your sport, but you can get some world-class instruction as well.

Get a coach - Give yourself services, as services can also be a great reward and can sometimes be more impactful than tangible rewards. Give yourself the reward of a physical or mental coach and not only will you get a great reward, but you can get the knowledge and support you need to improve your performance and help you achieve your goals as well.

Want to know more about how Mental Skills Training can help you achieve your athletic goals?Contact Carrie and get started today!

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Fall 2010
Volume 4, Issue 4

From Setting to Getting: Accomplishing Your Goals, Part II

It's one thing to say "I want to go on a road trip" and it's another thing entirely to know exactly where you want to go and exactly how you are going to get there. In the last issue of Game ON! we set out on a goal setting road trip together. We started our trip by looking at the importance of setting long-term goals and creating a vision for where you want to go. As you embark further on this journey, that long-term goal will now serve as your compass; you know what direction you're headed in so it's time to hit the road. Now that you know where you want to go you have to figure out the best way to get there.

Imagine that there are two people who want to take a road trip from California to New York. The first person says, "I'm thinking about going on a road trip to New York." The second person says, "I'm going on a road trip to New York. I know the exact route I'm taking and where I will be staying each night. I leave next Wednesday and it will take five days to get there so I plan on averaging 550 miles per day." Which person is more likely to make it to New York? The difference between someone who WANTS to accomplish something and someone who DOES is that they have a plan for how to do it.

Creating a map to your long term goals

Creating Your Map

Long-term goals tell you where to go and short-term goals tell you how to get there. Creating your short-term goals should help you answer the question "What do I need to do in order to achieve my outcome goal?" The short-term goals are your map; they provide you with directions on how to reach your destination. Follow these steps to create a road map towards your goal:

Step one - Grab a piece of paper and write out three things that need to occur in order for you to reach your destination. What are three things that must happen for you to accomplish your long-term goal? These are the actions that will get you closer to your goal. If you are driving from California to New York, you're going to have to make a few stops along the way. These actions are like your mini-destinations on your long road trip.

Step two - On any given road trip, you are going to encounter a few obstacles along the way. You may get a flat tire, run out of gas, turn down a dead end street, etc. You should know what potential obstacles you may face and have a plan for how to deal with them. When you take this step, the obstacles you come up against won't be able to derail you from reaching your destination. Make a list of potential obstacles you may encounter while working towards your goal. For each obstacle, come up with ideas on what you can do in order to address each obstacle.

Step three - The #1 tip for effective goal setting is to be specific. It's time to get down to the nitty-gritty; what is your strategy for accomplishing each action? For each action, write out what steps you need to take in order to make it happen. For example, if your first action for going on a road trip is to get the car tuned up - what is your strategy for making that happen? Which garage will you take it to? Who will drop you off? When will you make the call to get the appointment? BE SPECIFIC. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to get it done.

If you want to accomplish a goal you have to commit to the process. As was mentioned in the last issue, another important part of this process is to make sure that you are reflecting during the journey. So many athletes take the time to create their goal and then they leave it at that. Goal setting isn't just something that happens at the beginning of the season. You need to get feedback along the way so that you can make adjustments when needed and continue to build on your performance. It's also important to recognize your accomplishments. When you are working towards a long-term goal sometimes it's hard not to just look forward and see how far you still have to go. Be sure and take the time to look back every once in a while and see how far you've come.

Long-term goals and short-term goals work together to help to help you reach your destination; you have to have both. Without long-term goals you have no direction and without short-term goals you have no map. Long-term goals can provide clarity on where you want to go and motivation for doing what it takes to get there, while short-term goals help you dial in your focus on what needs to be done and will build your confidence as you start to see progress. If you are ready to move your performance to the next level take the time to set effective goals and it will be your greatest tool for increasing your athletic achievements.

Are Rewards Actually Rewarding?

Trophies are extrinsic motivators

People often talk about the use of rewards as motivators. Rewards can be used as a symbolic way to recognize an athlete's efforts and accomplishments. When you spend time and effort working towards a goal, it is important to recognize and celebrate your hard work, but can the promise of a reward at the end of the road motivate you to continue down that road?

Motivation falls under two categories - intrinsic and extrinsic. When you are intrinsically motivated to participate in your sport you do it because you love it in and of itself. You do it because it brings you joy, it feels good to overcome challenges, and you like the feeling of accomplishment. Extrinsic motivators are things outside of you that may influence your desire to participate. You could be motivated by the attention you get from family and friends, by the idea of a medal or trophy, even by the event T-shirt. (My personal favorite extrinsic motivator is the coveted tattoo for the Single Speed World Championship winner!) Athletes also create their own rewards for surpassing certain markers or accomplishing goals. Rewards might be anything from a massage, an upgrade in equipment, to a much-needed end-of-season vacation. Rewards can be powerful motivators, but they can't be the only motivator. The can be powerful motivational tools when they are a compliment to your intrinsic motivation. If you're playing with the idea of adding rewards to boost your motivation - here are some things to keep in mind:

Check your intrinsic motivation first - If the reason you are thinking about adding rewards to the mix is because you have been feeling low on motivation, check your intrinsic motivation first. What can you do to increase your own feelings of competence and control? Do you need to reclaim control of your own motivation and remind yourself of why YOU participate? Have you hit a performance plateau and need to feel some forward progress? Make sure that your desire for a reward isn't masking a bigger motivational issue.

Reward more than just the outcome - Rewards that are only used for a specific outcome can potentially be perceived as controlling, which will be detrimental to your intrinsic motivation. Be sure to reward ALL of your efforts. Don't just reward the outcome - reward the entire journey. For every time you wanted to stop moving and you went a little longer. For every time you wanted to stay home and you got your workout in anyway. For every time you wanted to be negative and you turned it around. For every time you kept working on something holding faith that you would see the fruits of your labor. For every time you skipped a workout (even though you were terribly distraught and conflicted) because you knew it was the right decision. ALL of your efforts deserve recognition, so be sure to read the sidebar and get some ideas on how to recognize them.

© 2010, Carrie Cheadle