Optimising your Goal Setting
by Doug Stewart
It is often around this time of year that attention turns to next year’s goals, whether that be races, target times, or other elements linked to health, lifestyle, performance, and so on. A paper published this year reviewed the academic research into the goal setting process in sports psychology.
In the past, TMR Coaching have shared advice on goal setting, such as:
- SMARTER Goals and the differences between Process, Performance and Outcome Goals
- Short term goals and the importance of reflection in goal setting
- The value of focussing on process goals over outcome goals
In the recent review on the procedures around setting goals, Bird et al., (2023) suggest that there are commonalities in the research on effective goal setting, with certain distinct stages:
1. Preparation
2. Goal Setting
3. Planning
4. Follow Up
Preparation
The literature suggests the requirement for a needs analysis (or performance profiling) to identify strengths and weaknesses of the individual relative to the event they are targeting. Additionally, at this stage, often there is a role for education on goal setting, such as the different types of goals and benefits of goal setting (similar to what was discussed in the previous newsletters linked to above). Another element that was commonly seen was the identification of goal motives, thus highlighting the reasons for the athlete to be setting goals.
Goal Setting
Establishing the content of the goal is crucial at this stage, as is an element of measurability. The type or focus of the goal should also be considered in this phase, in addition to adding context to the goal. For example, goals linked to a training context may be associated with increasing motivation in training, whilst a goal linked to an event may be performance focussed. The difficulty of the goal should also be considered. There is a consensus that a goal works well when it is challenging enough that it helps create persistence, but not so hard to be unattainable or reduce the motivation of the athlete. The goals should contain specificity and also be linked to time, whether this be short or long-term goals, with a final element linked to ranking your goals so there is a list of priorities.
Planning
According to the paper, developing commitment was prominent in this stage, as was creating a way for feedback and monitoring. Key for this was establishing strategies that would help achieve the goal and also identifying potential barriers. Moreover, having a process for monitoring and logging ongoing feedback on progress made towards the goals may help increase commitment levels.
Follow Up
Goal revision and having a process in place to reinforce progress towards the goal, or celebrate achieving the goal, are the key elements of this stage. Rather than simply setting goals and trying to achieve them, having a process around revising them as the situation dictates and deliberately spending time reinforcing them will hopefully increase the likelihood of achieving them.
So, if looking at 2024 goal setting, it is likely worthwhile considering these points prior to sitting down to work on them.
References:
Bird, M. D., Swann, C., & Jackman, P. C. (2023). The what, why, and how of goal setting: A review of the goal-setting process in applied sport psychology practice. Journal of applied sport psychology, 1-23.