A Guide to Sports Psychology Work Book
A Guide to Sports Psychology
Work Book
https://amzn.eu/d/fQV3rBd
Goal Setting and Motivation
Setting goals and staying motivated are crucial aspects of achieving success in sports.
In this chapter, we will explore the importance of goal setting and how it can enhance motivation and performance.
We will also discuss various strategies and techniques that can help you effectively set and work towards your goals.
Goal setting is the process of identifying specific objectives that an individual wants to achieve. When it comes to sports, goals can be both short-term and long-term. Short-term goals are smaller, more immediate targets that can be achieved in a shorter period of time, such as improving a specific skill or winning a particular game. Long-term goals, on the other hand, are broader and often require more time and effort to accomplish, such as making it to a professional level or winning a championship.
Exercise: Review the goals you wrote down earlier in this workbook -
have you achieved the short term goal and have you moved closer to your long term goal.
One of the key benefits of setting goals is that it provides athletes with a clear sense of direction and purpose. It helps them stay focused and motivated, as they have something tangible to work towards. Setting goals also allows athletes to measure their progress and evaluate their performance, which can be incredibly motivating and rewarding.
To effectively set goals make them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific goals are clear and well-defined, while measurable goals have a quantifiable outcome that can be evaluated.
Achievable goals are realistic and within reach, while relevant goals align with an athlete's values and objectives.
Finally, time-bound goals have a specific deadline or timeframe for completion.
An example could be a high jumper, with a current personal best of 1.83m, wanting to jump 1.85m at the county
championships that summer. This is specific to their sport, it has a measure, achievable - it is only a 2cm increase,
relevant to their sport and time bound as it is on a specific date.
Exercise: Create a SMART short term goal to achieve over the next week:
Specific:
Measurable:
Achievable:
Relevant:
Time-bound:
Once this goal has been achieved you need to create another short term goal.
You can also create medium term goals too, these could be over a few months.
The idea is that by completing all your short term and medium term goals you will reach and achieve your long term
goal. Think of it as climbing a mountain. The ultimate long term goal here is to reach the peak of the mountain.
Your short term goals will consistently take you up the mountain and your medium terms goals too.
For example, a short term goal could be to master ice climbing, a medium goal might be reaching base camp levels.
If a goal is not achieved you may not progress, but it just means you need to reflect on why and learn from this, so to
have another go at achieving this goal and keep doing it until you reach your destination.
Exercise: Create a SMART medium term goal to achieve over the next month:
Specific:
Measurable:
Achievable:
Relevant:
Time-bound:
Exercise: Create a SMART long term goal to achieve over the next few months:
Specific:
Measurable:
Achievable:
Relevant:
Time-bound:
Exercise: Create a notebook / journal to write your goals down.
Keep updating your short term goals and reviewing and reflecting on them -
this is how you learn and develop.
In addition to setting SMART goals, it is essential to maintain motivation throughout the process.
Motivation is the driving force that pushes athletes to work hard and persevere, even when faced with challenges or
setbacks. There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within and is fueled by personal enjoyment, satisfaction, and a genuine love for the
sport. Extrinsic motivation,in contrast, stems from external factors, such as rewards, recognition, or approval from
others.
Write down your Intrinsic motivations:
Write down your Extrinsic motivations:
What have you learnt from the above? Are you happy with these, do they need changing or developing in any way?
Another helpful strategy is to surround oneself with a supportive network of coaches, teammates, friends and family
members. Having a positive and encouraging environment can greatly contribute to an athlete's motivation and
overall success. Additionally, regularly reminding yourself of the reasons why you started the sport and the personal
benefits you derive from it can help maintain motivation during challenging times.
Exercise: Share your goals with people who you trust and can help you achieve your goals.
Who are these people?
It is also important to celebrate successes and acknowledge achievements, no matter how small they may seem.
Exercise: How will you reward yourself for achieving the most important goals?
In this chapter, we delve deeper into the intricacies of goal setting and motivation. We will explore specific techniques, such as visualisation and self-talk, that can enhance goal attainment and motivation. We will also discuss the role of self-confidence and self-efficacy in achieving goals. By the end of this chapter, you will have a comprehensive understanding of goal setting and motivation, as well as a toolkit of strategies to apply in your athletic endeavours.
Visualisation: Painting the Canvas of Success
Visualisation is a potent technique for competitive athletes aspiring to conquer their goals. Guided imagery sessions, tailored to your specific sport, allows your mind to vividly picture success. I encourage you to visualise yourself executing flawless plays, overcoming challenges, and basking in the glory of achievement. This mental rehearsal not only fosters confidence, but also instils a deep belief in the attainability of your goals.
Exercise: Visualise yourself achieving a short term goal. Use all senses to know how it makes you feel, what you can see, what you might hear, even taste (The taste of sweet success). The more vivid the visualisation the better the response is. Repeat the exercise for each short term goal but also do the same regularly for your medium and long term goals to maintain sight and motivation of these.
Self-Talk: Crafting the Narrative of Triumph
The dialogue that unfolds within the confines of an athlete's mind plays a pivotal role in shaping your motivation and goal pursuit. Introducing positive self-talk techniques empowers athletes to transform self-doubt into self-assurance. By replacing negative thoughts with affirmations of capability and resilience, athletes can fortify their mental resolve. You can play a crucial role in nurturing a positive internal dialogue, creating an environment where self-belief becomes an unwavering ally.
Exercise: Part 1 - Pay attention to your self-talk, record it when you can - is it positive or negative - don’t judge it, just be aware of it for now.
Exercise: Part 2 - Replace any negative self-talk with positive affirmations. For example, “This new skill is a challenge that I will gain with perfect practice”.
Exercise: Part 3 - Come back after utilising part 2 for a couple of weeks and record how you now feel.
The Nexus of Self-Confidence and Self-Efficacy
Self-confidence and self-efficacy are crucial in the pursuit of goals for aspiring athletes. Building self-confidence involves recognising and celebrating small victories, instilling a sense of belief in one's abilities. Coaches can facilitate this process by providing constructive feedback, fostering a positive team environment, and emphasising the progress made. Simultaneously, nurturing self-efficacy involves equipping yourself with the belief that your efforts can lead to successful outcomes. Encouraging yourself to set and achieve incremental goals reinforces the understanding that your actions directly impact your journey toward larger aspirations.
Exercise: What have you learnt from your short term goals so far - relate this to learning about your mental aspect of skill training?
I can almost guarantee that this will be a positive experience and you have learnt positive things about your new mindset and mental skills. However, let’s be real too and expect that there may be some “negative” qualities too that you have learnt too.
Exercise: Reflect on any negative qualities learnt and write down goals or self-talk to change these to lead to a positive outcome.
Exercise: Reward yourself for this excellent piece of work in developing mental resilience.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation: Fostering Sustainable Drive
Understanding the dual nature of motivation - whether it arises from internal desires (intrinsic) or external rewards (extrinsic) - is paramount for teenage athletes. While external accolades can serve as initial sparks, cultivating intrinsic motivation ensures a sustainable and enduring drive. You can foster intrinsic motivation by aligning training sessions with individual interests, emphasising personal growth, and highlighting the intrinsic joy derived from the sport itself. I encourage communication with your coach to align your goals and expectations.
Exercise: Write down some intrinsic desires from your sport. What do you get from your training sessions - is it the pain from or the satisfaction of completing all the sets and reps of the exercise. The joy of lifting a heavier weight, the joy of completing a distance quicker, the excitement of finally mastering a new skill?
Sometimes you need to act and pretend that you have already achieved your goals - this mindset sets you up for not only acting as if you have the ability and skill for your goal but also creates the stimulation in the brain to accept the goal as real and stimulates the brain growth for achieving it even quicker.
Exercise: Create a new mindset that you are already the person you want to be having achieved your goal and record how this makes you feel and act.
You have again a great job doing all the exercises here in this chapter - Well Done - Great Work!
