THE 5 TECHNIQUES TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!
Everyone has goals, but not everyone achieves them. One of the solutions to move from the first category to the second is how to build and fix them. In this article I will propose 5 methods to effectively formulate your objectives. These techniques will allow you to be more motivated, to persevere over time and to significantly improve your performance. At the end of the article you will find two concrete examples.
Obviously, as in the previous articles, mental preparation support is not limited to these few lines; if you want to go further, it will be necessary to consult a professional mental trainer.
POSITIVE!
First of all, the first rule to respect is ALWAYS FORMULATE YOUR OBJECTIVES POSITIVELY: avoid “do not lose” them, “avoid falling”… (using the verb “avoid” and negatively connoted verbs show just what not to do).
Instead, focus on verbs that show the action to be performed: “pedal to keep balance”, “look ahead to go to the right place”. This nuance may seem insignificant, but it leads to radical changes in the way we approach challenges, convey a message, give instructions… and I would even say more broadly to see life.
1) Your objectives must be SPECIFIC, you must be as specific as possible about the practice and context:
– What practice, what competition, what category…?
2) Your objectives must be MEASURABLE, this will allow you to know if you are right on course:
– Define transit times at key locations – Define a power to be developed in certain portions – Define an average heart rate to be maintained
3) Your objectives must be ACTION-oriented, what are called “control objectives” (as opposed to “results” objectives):
– Maintain a fluid pedaling frequency – Adopt a breathing rhythm adapted to the relief – Specify the different hand positions on the handlebars to be held according to the portions of the route
4) Your objectives must be DIFFICUL BUT REALISTIC:
– Too difficult, you will fail and be tempted to give up more quickly by confronting your limits.
– Too easy, you risk giving up for lack of motivation, stimulation, or not achieving your goals for lack of investment and concentration.
– Your objectives must therefore represent a challenge in relation to your resources, but you must feel able to achieve them by expressing 100% of your potential.
5) Your objectives must be defined in TIME:
– You must define your training schedule according to the date of the competition to be ready on the day.
– The notion of time is essential in the development of your objectives: I propose that you define a long-term objective (3 or 5 years), a medium-term objective (1 year) and a short-term objective (for the coming months).
Here is a concrete example for a cyclist wishing to participate in the Road E-Bike Grand Prix, an electric power-assisted racing bike competition. Its short-term objective (in 2 months at the time of writing) could be as follows:
(5 – TIME) It will be Saturday, October 19, 2019
(4 – DIFFICULT BUT REALIST) Imagine that the athlete has chosen the “Half Grand Prix” course according to his abilities
(1 – SPECIFIC) 82 kms, 2058m of positive altitude difference and 500 Wh battery.
(2 MEASURABLE) Being at the Relais du Mont du Chat in “….. H …. Min” with an average heart rate of”………… Bpm “
(3 – ACTION oriented) “Keep your hands at the bottom of the handlebar, an aerodynamic position and a smooth pedaling up to the beginning of the neck. Relaunch as late as possible and only for 20 meters at the end of the pin, then sit back down and take a breath as calmly as possible”
In the meantime, he can set personal goals for each training session (very short term). The information presented below is simply given as an example and is not intended to be really reproduced: “Tuesday evening I will do a 1 hour session (5 – TIME) to split into mountain bikes in the forest on a soft ground (1 – SPECIFIC). »
“I have to do 3 series of 8 climbs of 30m at……% power or then in…….. seconds. With 2 minutes of active rest between each hillside (effortless descent) and 4 minutes of complete rest between each series (slow walking and breathing control) (2 – MEASURABLE) “.
“I will make sure to sit on the bike for as many sets as possible and slow my breathing between each effort. ” (3 – ACTION).