The Difference Between an Athletic Dream and Performance Goals
During the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, you will hear athletes interviewed talking about the Olympics being their long-term dream, such as, “I’ve dreamt about being an Olympian since I was a little kid,” or “Being an Olympian is a dream come true.”
Was it the dream that vaulted these athletes to Olympic status? If that were the case, everyone who had a dream of achieving something of significance would accomplish it.
A dream may spark interest in achieving something worthwhile. Having the same dream of accomplishment may even ignite a sense of passion.
However, dreams alone play a small role in athletic accomplishment. The power behind achievement lies in goals, specifically the goal-setting process.
Let’s distinguish between goals and dreams. Dreams are vague images that exist in your mind. Goals are specific, clear, well-defined objectives based on reality that trigger action. There is little power behind dreams.
But goals, on the other hand, provide athletes with sustained motivation to persist through challenges and obstacles. Effective athletic goals start with the SMART method. S.M.A.R.T. goals are:
- Specific – Your goal should be clear, specific, and well-defined.
- Measurable – Your goal should be quantifiable and have a means for measuring progress.
- Achievable – Your goal should be challenging but attainable.
- Relevant – Your goal should be personal, something YOU want to accomplish.
- Time-Based – Your goal should have a deadline or time frame. Identifying your athletic goal is only one step in the goal-setting process.
Other components of the goal-setting process are:
- Goal Planning – Identifying the specific steps needed to accomplish your goal, including physical, technical, and mental skills that need to be developed.
- Progress Evaluation – Frequently, you should assess your progress by objectively evaluating your competition and practice performances. Are you on target to accomplish your goal in the designated time frame?
- Adjustments – After evaluating your progress, determine if there are tweaks to your plan that will keep you on track.
The following is an example of the confusion between goals and dreams.
Sixteen-year-old track prodigy Quincy Wilson started dreaming about becoming an Olympian while watching the 2016 Olympics. Despite failing to qualify for the 400-meter individual event at the trials, Wilson was added to the Team USA 4×400 relay pool.
WILSON: “I remember seeing Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt go head-to-head, and I was just like, ‘I want to be up there one day,’ And I told my mom, dad, and now, it’s the dream come true. When I got the call, I was like, I was ecstatic. I started running around the house. It was just a moment for me because everybody dreams about going to the Olympics as a young kid.”
Wilson’s initial dream may have set the wheels in motion, but he eventually transitioned his dream into a goal and started the planning and work phase.
Wilson committed to a training plan, actionable steps, intensity of effort, and visualization to accomplish his objective. Though he may still use goal and dream interchangeably, it was the goal-setting process that pushed him towards achieving something of significance.
WILSON: “When you dream about it a lot, it does come true when you put your work to it.”
Wilson’s addition to the USA Olympic relay team came after he ran under 45 seconds in three separate 400-meter heats at the trials, breaking the 42-year-old under-18 world record.
WILSON: “I’ve never been this happy a day in my life when it came to track. I’ve been working for this moment. That’s 42 years, 42 years of nobody being able to break that record, and I broke it twice in [three] days.”
To sum up, dreams spark interest, but goals ignite a passion and desire to identify a challenging objective, define an action plan, and commit to the necessary mental and physical work to achieve something of significance.
Turn your dreams into goals. Start by writing a SMART goal and creating a specific plan of attack to direct your actions. In addition, commit to objectively evaluating your progress and being flexible enough to tweak your plan when needed.
Related Sports Psychology Article
- Sports Psychology And Goal Setting
- Effective Goal Setting for Athletes in the New Year
- Setting the Right Goals for Skating
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