What Are the Benefits of Goal Setting in Sports?

Goal setting is a valuable aspect of everyday life. Goal setting in sports is especially important in
order to measure and improve performance as well as to achieve other positive effects. Each
athlete sets particular goals which are integral to his successes and failures. Goal setting is
always present regardless of the difficulty of the sport or the level at which the athlete is
competing. There are several benefits of goal setting in sports.

Self-Confidence

Accomplishing certain goals during practice through the means of repetition in similar
competition settings will help instill you with self-confidence. Goal setting is a mutual task
between coaches and athletes. The goals that you set provide a way of doing an evaluation on
your performance and also depict your beliefs and core values about your sport and success in
general. In other words, goals focus on self-improvement and accomplishing them boosts your
self-confidence. Setting goals can foster a positive approach to focusing on yourself and not
comparing yourself against others.

Motivation

Goal setting is a simple yet effective motivational tool in sports activities. It is an effective
device that has been used in sports for more than three decades. The concept may not be new, but
the techniques, methods and attitudes involved in the task have been refined and further clarified.
Motivation is very important in athletes. When you feel motivated, you will strive harder to
perform better. Goals also give you a sense of direction. They tell you in detail what you need to
accomplish. They will effectively increase your persistence, patience, effort and your overall
performance. Setting goals will require you and your coach to determine the right techniques to
achieve all set goals.

Improved Performance

Always set difficult, but realistic, goals. Goals should be challenging but not threatening. A
challenging goal involves a goal of attainable difficulty that will push you to work harder within
your limits. On the other hand, a threatening goal is one that is too ambitious or beyond your
skills and capacity. Set goals based on your performance. Consult with your coach and look at
your performance record. Through goal setting, you not only refine your skills in competition but
you also get to practice appropriate social behavior and skills necessary when interacting with
other people inside the sport.
Sports Psychology Exercises

Sports psychology was developed as a training tool for improving athletic performance and
overall enjoyment in sport and exercise. With the potential for improved performance, numerous
college and professional athletic teams hire sports psychologists to perform specific exercises
with the athletes. These sports psychology exercises include goal setting, visualization
techniques, positive thinking and self-awareness.

Goal Setting

One of the characteristics of successful athletes is the ability to set goals and use those goals to
motivate their training. According to Joseph Lenac, licensed psychologist, completing goal
setting exercises is one of the most important tasks for an athlete to be able to focus and direct
energy. By outlining specific outcome, intermediate and performance goals, you can achieve
improved performance through increased motivation, confidence and skill. General steps for goal
setting include defining realistic, specific, observable and measurable goals.

Visualization

Visualization is a sports psychology exercise that involves “mental rehearsal or imagery” where
you are performing at your peak. Professional athletes use visualization exercises combined with
positive thinking to rehearse their performances. For example, a golfer will visualize the slope of
a green and then rehearse his approach, swing and follow-through along with the ball rolling
across the slope and ending up in the bottom of the cup. Adam Kho, best-selling author, suggests
that visualization can improve athletic performance as well as other areas of your life.

Positive Thinking

The old saying “the glass is half-full” can also be applied to confidence-building sports
psychology exercises. Dr. Larry Lauer of Michigan State University suggests practicing an
optimistic attitude following practices, training sessions and games. Approach every day,
practice and game as a new opportunity to play your best. Focus on yourself and your ability
while staying resilient following mistakes or bad outcomes. Use positive sayings such as “quick
feet” or “be aggressive” to maintain a positive attitude to improve focus and performance.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness exercises are designed to help you learn from every negative or positive
experience encountered during practices and games. These exercises can utilize video analysis to
review your previous performances and determine your strengths and weaknesses. You can also
use the video to pinpoint times when your performance declines and how you responded to the
situation. The self-awareness exercises should be complemented with goal setting and feedback
from coaches, parents and teammates.