Meaningful Season Goals

EACH NEW SEASON demands a revised long-term vision with shortterm targets. Planning this way makes maintaining focusing on the day to day process easier. For some athletes, setting outcome goals (a goal measured by results or placing) and process goals (performancebased measures like skill development and personal performances) is enough to stay on task. For other athletes, goals that revolve entirely around performance or results in the sport don’t feel as motivating, even if they are realistic based on their current ability in the sport.

Having success with outcome goals is sometimes uncontrollable. Bad luck, bad weather, mechanical failure and injury can all affect both your performance and the outcome of the event. This is why other measures of success are a great way to ensure the process of striving for that goal is positive and meaningful. Just because the race doesn’t go well doesn’t mean that the act of preparing for it is a failure.

In order to make goals more tangible, immediate and ultimately more meaningful, you need a reason why they make a difference in your life. Here are some ideas for how your goals can be truly meaningful and stick with you through the season, even if the actual race outcome or performance is different from what you planned. Look at the opportunity to master the sport of triathlon as your opportunity to inspire. View how you can inspire others by taking a look at yourself from outside. Whether your dream is being a superhero for your family or motivating friends and colleagues to commit to being in shape, becoming the inspiring person you want to be will make your triathlon goals meaningful.

To that end, add people to your inner circle by declaring your goals so that they can share them with you and keep you accountable. Shifting your emphasis from “my” success to “our” success creates a support network that will be invaluable for staying motivated and committed to your goals.