What kind of goals do you set for competition?
- I want to score a personal best.
- I want to podium.
- I want to beat ____.
- I want to impress ____.
While these types of goals aren’t bad, there’s one thing you need to remember. They have no place at competition. Period.
Let me ask you this. Are any of these goals under your control?
If you answered “no” you’re correct, and if you answered “yes” let me explain why you don’t have control over these goals.
Breaking It Down
Let’s look at the goal: “I want to score a personal best.” At first glance you might think, “I’m the one who’s going out and skating. I totally have control over this goal.” But, that’s where you’re wrong.
Yes, you are one who’s skating. But, who is scoring you?
That’s right. The officials are the ones giving you the scores.
You aren’t the officials. You don’t have control over them. So, getting a personal best score isn’t fully under your control.
Let’s look at another goal: “I want to podium.” Here we run into the same problem.
The scores are what determines who gets to stand on the podium, and the officials are the ones in charge of giving out the scores. Sure, you can go out and skate the best skate of your life. But after everything is said and done, the scores are up to the panel of officials who are judging your event.
What about the goal: “I want to beat ____.” Let’s use “I want to beat Sarah” as an example.
Again, this goal isn’t fully under your control. What if Sarah skates the performance of her life? Or, what if Sarah falls on every single jump in her program?
You aren’t Sarah. You don’t have any control over how she skates. On top of that, Sarah’s performance isn’t what determines whether you beat her or not. The scores are what determines the final placement. And the scores are given out by, you guessed it, the officials.
The same thing applies to the goal: “I want to impress ____.” You don’t have any control over how ____ feels, so no matter how well you skate, you can’t control whether they are impressed or not.
What Should You Do Instead?
So, what kind of goals can you bring to competition?
None. Zero. Nada.
You aren’t allowed to bring any goals to competition.
By their very nature, goals are results oriented. And, if you’ve read my other articles, you know that results are a distractions.
Goals like, “I want to land ____ in my long program”? Gone.
Goals like, “I want to hit 5 rotations on my ____”? Can’t do it.
What do you have to do to land a jump? You have to nail the takeoff.
What do you have to do to hit five rotations in a spin? You have to nail the entrance.
These goals are results. They exist in the future, not the present.
You don’t have any control over the future. Your power to execute a skill exists entirely in the present.
Instead of setting results oriented goals for your next competition, come up with an action plan for yourself. Something like, “I want to recognize when I’m distracted and focus on what I’m doing right now.”
This is similar to the buzzword term, “focus on the present,” except it’s easier to understand and execute.
Are All Goals Bad?
Now you’re probably wondering, are all goals bad?
No. Definitely not. Goals are useful training tools.
Process goals like, “I want to do a back to back run of my long program today,” or “I want to do 15 reps on my triple salchow tomorrow,” are awesome ways to keep yourself motivated and on track.
So, when do you use goals? During training to motivate and help keep you on track. But, as soon as you step foot at competition training is over and its time to leave your goals behind.
Never Take Goals into Competition
There you have it. Never take your goals to competition.
By their nature, goals are results oriented. And, because the results are in the future, they are nothing more than distractions.
When you go to competition, focus on recognizing when you’re not in the present and refocus on what you’re doing right now. This will give you the best shot at performing your best.
Goals aren’t bad. They can be used to great effect to motivate and keep yourself on track during training. But, they don’t have any place at competition.
Mental skills training can make a difference because it can help you access what is already there during competition and practice.
Start here: download “Confidence Myth Busters,” a complimentary eBook and make a change.