If you want to accomplish something do more than dream about it--set a goal. Goal setting works to increase motivation, set priorities and improve performance. A study by sport psychologists D. Burton and S. Naylor reviewed 56 goal-setting research studies and found 80 percent of the studies had positive results. It is not as simple as just thinking of a goal--it is a process. To effectively set goals follow these seven steps.
Challenging
A goal must challenge you. According to sport psychologists Craig Wrisberg, Ph.D., and Richard Schmidt, Ph.D., in their book "Motor Learning and Performance," challenging goals encourage improvement. It may be tempting to pick something easy--no one wants to fail. But setting an easy goal does not promote development or improvement.
Attainable
The goal needs to be attainable. Factors such as time, equipment and knowledge affect attainment, according to Wrisberg and Schmidt. Equipment and time are factors external to the individual capabilities but also need to enter the goal-setting process. Setting the goal to play tennis three times a week with no available tennis facilities is an unattainable goal.
Realistic
A goal should challenge, but not to the point of impossibility. Make goals realistic; base them on previous demonstrated performance. When something seems difficult, but based on past experience still achievable, people will work toward reaching it. Goals people perceive as impossible do not motivate people. Even if you work hard to achieve your goal, not reaching it will be a let-down.
Specific
Increase motivation and focus with a specific objective. For example, setting a specific goal to lose 5 pounds in one month is likely to help motivate you to accomplish this task, compared to the more general goal of simply losing weight.
Measurable
Goals must be measurable. Without the ability to measure your goal you have no way to know if you have achieved it, says the American Council on Exercise. Good examples of measurable goals include time in a 5k run or number of 30-minute sessions on an exercise bike per week.
Mix Outcome and Performance Goals
Effective goal setting also requires mixing goal types. Goals like winning a competition or performing better than another person are outcome goals--they focus on a specific result and not individual performance. If you set this type of goal, it is important to include performance based goals--goals based on individual performance improvements. Professor Deborah Wuest, Ph.D., writes that this is important because setting only outcome goals can lead to decreased motivation and anxiety. Setting a goal to win a race should be accompanied by the goal to achieve a certain time. That way if someone who is much faster shows up on race day you can still achieve the time goal you set.
Process Goals
A process goal focuses on how to improve performance. Running five days a week with one day of interval training is a process goal--it focuses on the process that will get the individual to achieve her performance goals.
References
- "The Jekyll/Hyde nature of goals: Revisiting and updating goal-setting in sport" in "Advances in sport psychology"; D. Burton & S Naylor; (2002)
- "Motor Learning and Performance"; Craig Wrisberg, Ph.D., and Richard Schmidt, Ph.D.; 2007
- American Council on Exercise: Reaching Your Goals the Smart Way
- "Foundations of Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Sport"; Deborah Wuest, Ph.D., and Charles Bucher, Ph.D.; 2009
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