The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination - Usain Bolt
Many people reading this have a triathlon related goal for this year. As part of structuring training into life this blog is to encourage you to do two main things:
Think further ahead, DREAM
Be grounded and realistic when you aim for things
This blog is actually a strategy planning exercise. Primarily in this context I would like you to use it for your endurance goal planning. But as you work through you may find you have other things that you need a strategy for. If you have lots of competing personal goals and targets, try the coaching wheel exercise first...
The first thing I want you to do here, is dream. Dream big! Think ahead two, three, four or even five years and think: I may never do it but I would love to do THIS.... However far off and impossible it may seem, if you really, really want to do it at least between now and the potential time it happens, things can be geared towards helping you get there. Okay, you might take another path along the way but this dream is your guiding star right now and you are going to direct your focus towards it.
Ground yourself and be realistic by considering these three points:
What is the closest thing to your dream, you have attempted in the past?
Practically and objectively state facts - what happened when you did this?
Now explain how the experience made you feel, good or bad and for others involved?
You are now well grounded and focusing in the right direction. This is where the goals should come in. Goals is the stop point on your journey. Let's call your upcoming goal, the moon. Your dream is the stars and thats where you are ultimately heading (to one of them, one day) but your goal is the moon and that is where you will head to first, on your way.
Set a goal. Something specific and measured, that you could realistically achieve. Write it down and state when you will do this?
You may have more than one goal. They need to help you on your way to the ultimate dream. At this point you might find that you have more than one dream and in various parts of life you are heading in various ways which entail various goals. So repeat this exercise for each of your dreams. Work once through this blog for every long term, not definite dream you dream of ...
Now, hone in on the goal/s. For each goal think about what is needed for the job. Break the planning down by considering the essential, significant and desirable things needed. Write down as many things as you can think of for each:
Essential (critical to succeed)?
Significant (have an influence on the outcome)?
Desirable (may/may-not help but will be nice)?
And now, lastly, think about what challenges you might face on the journey to achieving your goals. Again, break the challenges down into three categories and write down as many challenges as you can think of for each.
Hurdles (No getting around these. You have to do these if undertaking your goal. You need to work out what these are and have a coping strategy to deal with them).
Barriers (Things that you can get around with good planning, what's the plan?).
Pitfalls (Areas that could easily be a downfall if you don’t look out for them – example: becoming exhausted. Consider these and think of ways to avoid).
Thanks for reading this. I hope it was helpful.... GO!
