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

2. Introduction to Goal-Setting
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 process it and the factors that affect it

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. But WHY does goal-setting influence performance?

9. Mechanistic Theory
Locke and Latham proposed that goals influence performance in 4 ways:
Direct attention to important task elements
Help to mobilize effort
Increase effort immediately AND help prolong effort/increase persistence
Goal-setters develop and employ new learning strategies
Factors (importance, self-efficacy, feedback, and task complexity) impact the goal-performance relationship

10. Cognitive Theory
Proposed by Burton and looks specifically at goal-setting in athletic environments
Found that athletes’ goals are linked to their levels of anxiety, motivation, and confidence

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Goal Setting System (cont.)
Follow-up/Evaluation phase
Schedule meetings throughout season
Discussion among subgroups
Provide feedback

17. 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