With the Olympics now in full swing, it’s hard not to feel inspired seeing so many athletes at the peak of their sports performing on the world stage. It might have left you feeling like you want to do the same and excel in your sport and one day make it to the big stage, but it can be difficult knowing where to start and how to build that Olympian mindset. That’s why I’ve written this article to give some brief tips and knowledge which could help you take that next step in your performance and climb closer to achieving your goals.
So first off, how do Olympians even get to the big stage?
Four years is a long time where much can change and you’ll have to face many challenges, but it’s a good amount of time to work on your performance and start climbing the ranks. One of the most widely used skills which can help keep you on track as you reach for your dreams is that of goal setting.
There are three main methods of goal setting that are favourites among my clients, which are ‘SMART’ goals, Process goals, and Outcome goals. When setting goals, I always recommend a mix of these three methods as they help break down your main goal into manageable chunks, but today we’ll only focus on SMART goals as they’re the quickest place to start.
I like to imagine goal setting like having a really long ladder to climb and depending on how well you have set your goals, that ladder may only have one rung at the top. In creating SMART goals, what we’re doing is adding the rungs all the way up the ladder so you can climb right to the top.
What are SMART goals then?
SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. In sports and exercise, specificity is crucial; goals should be clearly defined and target specific aspects of performance or fitness. For instance, instead of a vague goal like "get in shape," a specific goal could be "increase endurance by running 5 kilometres without stopping within the next three months."
Measurability is equally important in assessing progress and success. Goals should be quantifiable, allowing you to track your advancements. In a sports context, this could involve tracking personal bests, speed, or strength gains.
An achievable goal ensures that it is realistic given one's current capabilities and resources. Setting a goal that is too ambitious may lead to frustration and burnout whilst a goal that is too easy might not provide the necessary motivation for improvement. For example, if you’ve never competed in your sport before setting the goal of making the Olympics within 6 months might be a tad ambitious.
Relevance ties the goal to the broader picture of one's overall well-being or sports performance. It's essential to consider how each goal contributes to the larger objectives and whether it aligns with your personal values and what you want to achieve.
Finally, time-bound goals have a set deadline, providing a sense of urgency and structure. This helps prevent procrastination and allows individuals to assess their progress regularly. For example, setting a goal to increase flexibility by attending yoga classes three times a week for the next two months is a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goal that can contribute to overall fitness.
Using the SMART framework is just one way in which you can increase your chances of sticking to your goals in the new year, and slowly start to climb the ladder and stay on track to achieve your dreams.
How to perform under pressure in key moments
So now you know how to set goals and track your progress, you’ll have to hit certain times and win certain competitions to get to Olympic level. To do this, you’ll have to develop the skills to perform under pressure, sometimes in front of hundreds of spectators. This can involve starting to develop a mindset that is not shaken by potential pressure or competition, which is easier said than done!
One of the best ways I’ve found to help stay grounded during competition and focussed on your aims and goals is to take a pause and remind yourself that no matter where you’re competing or what is on the line, what you have to do never changes. The skills, behaviours, effort and movements often never change, whether you’re competing at a local event or at the Olympics.
Your event and task never changes, only the surroundings do.
If we can remind ourselves that even though the event, surroundings, potential gains and losses might always change but our task never does; then we can start to ground ourselves and focus on the mission at hand.
Alongside this, many Olympians use a pre-performance routine which incorporates this mindset alongside skills like deep breathing and visualisation. These can help to calm you during high pressure situations, and re-centre yourself on executing the skills you need to succeed. For example in archery, before taking a shot many competitors will take deep breaths, then exhale, and then shoot. Many find that this helps to focus and calm their mind before releasing the arrow.
Of course this is only part of the picture, and any journey to the Olympics is going to be a long a challenging one, but with the right mindset and support it’s one that can become a reality. If you’d like to know more or are interested in developing a performance mindset, then get in touch with Callum here.
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