S.M.A.R.T GOALS
I am a massive fan of goal setting. (Goals you set are Goals you get!) I have always tried to encourage my students to set goals for themselves. I have recently been doing some goal setting with some of the fighters and realize that a more in-depth explanation of the mechanics of goal setting is required than the short chat I have with them before I assign them a task. So I am going to write a few articles to help them.
I am going to start by explaining about S.M.A.R.T goals and what makes them so important.
S.M.A.R.T is an acronym for Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timed
Below is an explanation of each one
Specific: If you want to be successful, you need to get specific. Many people make the mistake of being very vague or making generalised ‘goals’ such as ‘I want to get fitter’ The more specific your goal is the better chance you have of hitting it than a general goal. To set a specific goal, you must answer the six “W” questions:
*Who. What. Where. When, Which, Why.
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “I want to get fitter.” But a specific goal would say, “I want to be able to run a mile in 8 minutes.”
Measurable – Every goal you set needs to be measured. In other words, How Much? And How Many?
By measuring your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and that success motivates you to go on to your next goal.
To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……
How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?
Attainable – Make sure that your goals are attainable. Your goals should stretch you (that’s the best way to grow) and motivate you, but they should also be attainable. If not, and you keep ‘failing’ you can get demotivated and give up.
If you have only been training for a few months and set the goal of being a Champion in the next 6 months, that’s not attainable, but if you say you will enter your first interclub in the next 6 months, that is still challenging, but very attainable.
Once you start to identify goals that are really important to you, you soon begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, and skills to reach them.
Realistic – I know that sounds a bit like attainable, but it’s not. If I was out of work, managed to find a great sponsor, or was on a training trip to Thailand, setting a goal of training 2 hours, twice a day for the next few months, is both attainable and realistic. But if I have a full time job, a family, etc., it’s not really realistic, is it?
So setting a goal of training for 1 or 2 hours 4 times per week is more realistic.
Pick the things you are ABLE to do to make your goal happen. Things you are WILLING do (even on days you don’t WANT to).
Timed – Your goal should have a deadline. This way it keeps you on track as you know that the clock is ticking. You also know when to celebrate!
It also keeps you on track for your long term goals. If you set your short and medium term goals in a planned manner and hit them within your time limits, it also means that your long term goals are on track.
Over the next few months, I will be writing more information about goal setting and other success strategies to help you get everything you want from your training.
I have a special goal-setting exercise that I will go through with you personally, just speak to me at the gym. I look forward to helping you on your journey to Muay Thai Success.
Steve Logan