Goal Setting for Peak Performance “Without goals you are like a ship without a rudder – heading in no particular direction.” Roy Williams, basketball coach University of North Carolina Chapter 11 Daniel Gould Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

One of the most used techniques in applied sport psychology Influences the performance of athletes of varied age and ability levels Makes positive changes in psychological states like anxiety, confidence, and motivation For goal-setting to be effective, coaches and sport psychologists must its process and the factors that affect it Introduction to Goal-Setting Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Definition of a Goal Goal = an “objective or aim of action” that attains “a specific standard of proficiency on a task, usually within a specified time limit” Goal’s focus is on achieving some standard There are different kinds of goals Locke and Latham Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Types of Goals Outcome goals – standards of performance that focus on the results of a contest between opponents or teams Performance goals – focus on improvements relative to one’s own performance Process goals –specify the procedures the athlete must engage in during performance in order to perform well Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Types of Goals (cont.) Team goals – Rather than aimed at individuals, these goals set group goals to influence performance Some suggest that group goals have more powerful effects than individual goals Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Psychological Research on Goal-Setting Shows that goal setting consistently facilitates performance 90% of the studies showed positive-partially positive effects Also a successful technique for improving performance and changing behaviors BUT these effects moderated by performance feedback Goal-setting is most effective when customized to particular settings and athletes Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Athletes’ and Coaches’ Uses of Goal-Setting More effective goal-setters use all types of goals and productive goal-setting strategies To improve these coaches and athletes should focus on: Process-oriented performance goals The relationship between long- and short-term goals Skill and fitness goals Implementing goals in practice and competition Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

But WHY does goal- setting influence performance? Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Mechanistic Theory Locke and Latham proposed that goals influence performance in 4 ways: 1.Direct attention to important task elements 2.Help to mobilize effort 3.Increase effort immediately AND help prolong effort/increase persistence 4.Goal-setters develop and employ new learning strategies Factors (importance, self-efficacy, feedback, and task complexity) impact the goal-performance relationship Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Cognitive Theory Proposed by Burton and looks specifically goal- setting in athletic environments Found that athletes’ goals are linked to their levels of anxiety, motivation, and confidence Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Cognitive Theory (cont.) An athlete’s goal motivational orientation interacts with perceived ability to produce one of three goal styles –Performance orientation: success defined by self- improvement and has high perceived ability –Success orientation: success defined by social comparison and winning and has high perceived ability –Failure orientation: success defined by social comparison and winning but has low perceived ability Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Life Skills Goal-Setting Programs Focus is on identifying, learning life skills (like goal- setting), and then transferring the valuable life skills learned in sport environments to general life situations: Identify a positive life goal Focus on that goal’s process Use of a general problem-solving model Identify health-comprising behavior Identify health-promoting behavior Underline importance of good social support Find ways to transfer skills from one life situation to another Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Goal-Setting Guidelines Set goals in measurable and behavioral terms (explicit, specific, and numerical) Set moderately difficult, but realistic goals Set short-range AND long-range goals Set process, performance, and outcome goals Set goals for practice and competition Positive vs. negative goals Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Goal Setting Guidelines (cont.) Set target dates for attaining goals Identify goal-achievement strategies Write goals down Provide feedback on goal achievement Provide support for goals Coach, Teammates, Family Set group goals Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Goal-Setting System for Coaches Planning phase Identify individual and team goals Identify strategies to achieve goals Meeting phase Educate athletes Athletes should be involved Record goals Evaluate progress Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Goal Setting System (cont.) Follow-up/Evaluation phase Schedule meetings throughout season Discussion among subgroups Provide feedback Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Common Problems Too many goals too soon Failing to recognize individual differences Setting goals that are too general Failing to modify unrealistic goals Failing to set process and performance goals Failing to understand the time-commitment required in goal-setting Setting only technique-related goals Failing to create a supportive atmosphere Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.