Effective Goal Setting
Businesses, individuals, and sports teams have sought out many ways to improve performance. Goal setting is one way for groups or individuals to attempt to improve their success. Goal setting can be a way of improving motivation and helping athletes to enhance performance. Reaching an appropriately set goal can represent a small victory and show athletes that they are on their way to continued success (Robson, 2007).
There are two basic goal orientations, each with a distinct structure. The first is performance-based goal orientation, and the second is outcome-based goal orientation (Burton & Naylor, 2002). Athletes who adopt a performance-based orientation have a positive, optimistic outlook. They define success as learning, improving, and mastering new tasks. They believe in their ability to learn and improve, provided they invest adequate effort. On the other side is the athlete with an outcome-based goal orientation. Such athletes are focused more on how others see them, and less on learning or overcoming challenges. These athletes view success or failure based on social comparison processes, in which winning is associated with a positive social comparison. Athletes having an outcome-based goal orientation are concerned about the process and about learning, but they are concerned to a greater extent with their abilities as compared to others’ abilities.
The effectiveness of goal setting is evident. Why, then, would a coach or athlete go without this performance enhancing activity? Some coaches and athletes lack knowledge of goal setting, especially of how to set goals systematically. Another barrier to effective goal setting can be the failure to appropriately review progress toward goals and revise goals, if necessary, based upon that progress.
Having a measurable goal, one that is quantifiable, allows both coaches and athletes to understand whether they remain on track and are progressing toward the goal or indeed have met the goal (Bergin, 1995). Goals should be documented, in order to help track progress or regression. Such documentation can increase the level of commitment to goal achievement and, again, helps keep athletes on track, always pursuing the goal. (If an athlete is injured, it may be necessary to adjust a goal or goals, but they should not be dismissed.)
It may be especially useful to document short-term goals, measureable goals that keep athletes motivated without overwhelming them with the larger process of achieving a long-term goal. Short-term goals present an opportunity for success on a weekly basis, on a timeline that will eventually bring the athlete to the long-term goal (McCann, 2007). It can be difficult for an athlete to see his or her progress when the far-off, long-term goal is its only indicator.
Effective goal setting requires that each goal have a method of evaluation. Regular monitoring and evaluation of progress helps make sure that the athlete remains on track toward both short- and long-term goals.
The coach has a very important role in goal setting, both for teams and individuals. Thus coaches must first educate themselves about goal setting, obtaining the most current information. Coaches will be called on to help athletes set their short- and long-term goals. They need to ensure that all goals are both realistic and relevant to the athlete. Once goals are in place, coaches will need to take time to measure and evaluate progress toward goals, making sure athletes are on track to meet them. If the goal setting process is to work successfully, coaches must assume an important role in both education and implementation.
References
Bergin, D. (1995). Effects of a mastery versus competitive motivation situation on learning. Journal of Experimental Education, 63, 4–11.
Burton, D., & Naylor, S. (2002). The Jekyll/Hyde nature of goals: Revisiting and updating goal setting. In T. S. Horn (Ed.), Advances in Sports Psychology (pp. 459–499). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
McCann, E. (2007, July-August). Why goal setting works: Improved performance is one benefit of the daily process. Soccer Journal, 49–50.
Robson, R. (n.d.). Effective goal setting for sports performance. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http://www.istadia.com/archive/article/robrobson/6