Performance outcome Goals

First you want to decide where you want to end up. Don’t sell yourself short in terms of possibilities. Dream a little. Dreams allow for the unfolding of new realities. Goals that are unimaginable are unachievable – not because they really are unachievable, but because they were never dreamt of.

1. Imagine what is potentially possible if all your limits are stretched. How good could you be? Imagine the possibility of unlimited possibility!!! This should allow you to extend what you previously considered your possible upper limit. What you aim at effect how you approach a target, how you approach yourself, and what you are likely to hit.
2. Set a realistic performance outcome goalbased on your competitive history, current skill level, and present motivation for improvement. What is the best performance you can realistically attain this year if you commit yourself to it? (Think in terms of final placing, ranking, score, or personal best time. “A major purpose in setting a realistic outcome goal is to establish to commitment to this goal”Suggested questions to ask yourself:

   a.What is your current skill level?

   b.What are your relative strength and weaknesses?

   c.How committed are you to improving your level of performance? (What is your training commitment this year compared with last year’s)

3. Self acceptance. Set goal of overall self – acceptance, regardless of performance outcome. If you fail to             meet an important performance goal, you are naturally disappointed, and there is nothing wrong with feeling and  expressing that disappointment. You should still, however, be able to accept yourself as a worthy human being. Self damnation serves no purpose.

What do you need to know about “Worry”

“If worry can solve your problems, then worry like crazy man” However, not many problems are solved by worrying. Worrying about what is completely beyond your control is particularly unproductive. You can’t control uncontrollable (history, judges, officials). You can, however control yourself and your responds to situation around you. In high performance sport you should focus your energy on yourself and on the events within your potential control. If you start to get upset about something that happened, stop and ask if it was within your control (RRR – recognize/regroup/refous). If there is something you could have done to perform better in that condition, extract the lesson and then put the event aside. If, after experiencing a setback or unmet goal, you go through a constructive post performance evaluation procedure, it will help you to objectify the experience, learn from it, and get back on track with as little self – inflicted pain as possible.