Rugby
What you can learn about goal-setting from pro athletes
Want to achieve new sporting heights in the coming year? The key to an improved performance could lie in the planning.
Whether you're a professional or amateur athlete, you will likely already know that goal-setting is key to achieving sporting targets. You'll probably also know that specific goals are significantly more motivating than any vague ‘try-your-best’ intentions.
These specific goals work by initiating cognitive engagement, focusing your attention and encouraging perseverance, all of which work together to promote behavioural change, enabling you to attain the respective goal you have set. We got a few athletes to share their thoughts.
“Setting a goal, (big or small) is the first step to being in a good space mentally to have something to work towards,” says obstacle course racer Thomas van Tonder.
According to Thomas, not having a goal makes it feel like you’re working really hard but without anything to measure your growth and success against. “For me this means picking the races I want to do and outlining how I want to race them. This makes me feel a lot more focused," he says.
Ultra-trail runner, Ryan Sandes agrees. “It’s important for any novice or intermediate runner to have a goal and some kind of training plan,” says Ryan. He believes it helps to know when your longer runs need to happen and if you aren’t over-training or under-training. Also that there are sufficient recovery periods in their training.
Ryan's recipe is simple. Of course these goals are something both something he and Thomas have had to adapt in current times, but for them both it has been important to stay focused.
This is Ryan's simple recipe:
- Set goal. (Keep it simple and realistic)
- Visualise it. (For example, see yourself running 15 or 20kms or whatever it may be. If your mind is there, then your body is halfway there as well).
- Build a plan to achieve the goals. (Set some form of training structure)
- Set mini goals and be flexible. (If it’s not going well or you’ve suffered some setbacks, you may need to readjust).
- Stay positive and then go out and achieve your goal. (There will be highs and lows in training and during the race, mentally prepare for those. For Wings For Life World run, you’re running for those who can’t, so that should keep you going.)
Of course goal-setting is not only for endurance athletes and it applies to sportsmen and women in all codes, including the likes of Jordy Smith, Kagiso Rabada and Siya Kolisi - the three athletes who are offering you a 'behind the locker-room door experience' with Red Bull All Access...
"The world title," says Jordy Smith of his ultimate goal. Smith has come close before on various occasions and seems poised to take the step up. His greatest fear is linked to this.
"Not to live out your potential," he says. "Just making sure that you give it 100% every time that you do something."
Want to learn more about goal-setting and what Jordy, KG and Siya have in their sights (and what they fear)? Press play below:
2 min
Red Bull All Access: Inside Out
Head over to Red Bull All Access (below) and choose which athlete you want 'all access' to. If you're not too clued up on any of the three participating athletes you can still be a part of the action and will be given numerous opportunities to get to know them better. Just stay tuned right here to improve your chances of unlocking all the levels.