Goal Setting: Setting Up a Successful Season

Setting goals. As the off season wears on, now is the time to start defining what you want to achieve in the upcoming racing season. One of the biggest limiters an athlete can have is not setting clearly defined goals to help with accountability throughout a season.

When setting up goals, the best way to go about defining them is by using the SMART method. SMART stands for:

• Specific

• Measurable

• Attainable

• Realistic

• Timely

Let’s dive into each of these in a bit more detail.

Specific

Simple yet significant. What will you/do you want to achieve? What will you do? You goal should be clear and specific, otherwise you won’t be able to truly focus on it. Think it through:

• What do you want to accomplish this season?

• Why is this important to you?

• Who will help you throughout the season to reach the goal?

• Where? Race location and time of year.

Measurable

Meaningful, motivating, and measurable. What parameters will you use to define if you reached your goal or not? By tracking your progress throughout a training cycling, you can use specific benchmarks throughout the season to help you stay on track. How will you know when you’ve reached your goal?

Attainable

Achievable. Are you sure this goal is possible? Do you have the right skills and resources? Your goal should stretch you and your abilities, but it should also be in the realm of possibility.

• How can you reach this goal?

• How achievable is it? Do you have the resources (financial, time, etc.)?

Realistic

Relevant to you. Does the goal align with your values? Realistic goals need to matter to you. While you may need support in reaching the goal, you need to have, and keep, ownership of the goal.

• Is the goal worthwhile?

• Is this the right time for this goal?

Timely.

Time based. What is the deadline to reach the goal? If you don’t have a specific deadline, then it’s much harder to focus in on the goal.

• When? When is the deadline for accomplishing the goal?

• What can you do during the Base Phase?

• What can you do during the Build Phase?

• What can you do right now?

By taking the time to really dive in and set SMART goals, you are setting yourself up for a successful season and giving yourself a roadmap to guide you throughout the process. If you have questions on setting up SMART goals, send me an email. I’d be happy to answer your questions!