Two Goal Setting Mistakes That Are Holding You Back
I don’t think I’ve ever met an athlete that doesn’t have a goal for themselves.
Whether it’s getting recruited, ranking higher, qualifying for a certain event, getting a new PR, learning a new skill. You name it, athletes are aiming to reach it.
Goals are so important to provide direction and motivation.
But there are two common things I see that hold athletes back from achieving their goals.
They don’t know or don’t focus on the process. They set a goal and think it’s as good as that. But they have no idea what is the actual process that will allow them to achieve the goal.
They pressure themselves to get to the outcome. Whether it’s rushing to the end result, judging themselves for where they are at, or putting themselves down when it isn’t achieved right away. The pressure to achieve the outcome makes it even harder to achieve that goal.
Achieving goals requires compounding actions. Meaning there are many actions that you’ll take over and over that are going to lead to the result. So, taking consistent action towards your goal will compound to the outcome you want.
Starting with the process. You have to know what will be required to achieve your goal. What are the repeated steps and actions you’ll need to take?
If you don’t know the process, you’ll approach your goal as if you’re wandering about. Like you’re in your car and you know the place you want to go but you don’t know the directions to get there. You’ll drive around turning on different streets, having to turn around, or stop and ask in order to get where you want to go. The same thing happens when you approach a goal without knowing the process. And when you don’t know the process and things don’t work, you’ll keep trying new things or getting frustrated with where you’re at. It will be a cycle of “let me try this”, frustration, negativity, and repeat.
So, if you want to PR, what are the actions you have to take to make that happen? If it’s training daily, hydrating, eating well, using positive affirmations, strength training, stretching, then focusing on those things consistently and making them happen will compound to the result you want.
**Disclaimer: This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. This doesn’t mean that you have to do x,y,z every single day perfectly in order to achieve your goal. This is about consistency. Consistently putting in the work. Consistently focusing on the process. Consistently showing up for yourself.
Now, when you try to control your goal, it will lead to putting unnecessary pressure on yourself.
There are different ways controlling a goal can happen. It can be putting a timeline on when that goal will be achieved. It can be expecting yourself to be perfect. It can be expecting yourself to achieve it overnight. It can be stressing over where you’re currently at compared to where you want to be. It can be judging yourself when you have an off day. The list can go on and on.
Putting pressure on yourself to achieve your goals will create frustration, confusion, anger, disappointment, stress, and anxiety. Have you ever tried to achieve a goal or let alone perform with these emotions plaguing you? It’s pretty hard to be at your best when you're in that headspace.
This is why the process is so important. It allows you to focus on one day at a time. As well as accept where you’re currently at. Imagine if everyday you told yourself “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be”, what would be different?
My guess is the pressure is lifted, it’ll be a lot easier to show up at your best, and consistently take action one day at a time. There won’t be resistance.
The first thing we do in the Mindset Mastery Program is set your goals and map out the process to get you there. Then, we take it one step further by setting daily goals so you can take your goals one day at a time. It feels light, simple, and consistent.
The pressure, frustration and confusion will be gone once you have that first session. And it will allow us to really dive into the mindset skills that are going to help you achieve your goals.
Ready to set your goals and map out the process to get you there. Schedule a consultation today!