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SEVEN STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU STICK TO YOUR GOALS

By Enio Sacilotto

Sticking to your goals can be exceedingly difficult when you are going through setbacks; you will find times that giving up is very tempting.  You set goals to reach them; giving up is not what you want!

You want to set your goals and stick to them to grow as a person and an athlete.  If you give up on your goals, you will not have the peace of mind and the confidence to reach your full potential in sports and life.

Whether your goals are personal or sports-related, they must be important to you.  If they are of value to you, why would you give up on them?  Life is what you make of it, and reaching your goals is a way to shape your life on your terms.  Your dreams are unique to you, and no one can take them away from you; that is why sticking to them is so important.

028 | Stick to Your Goals

Here are seven tips to help you stick to your goals:

1.     Find a solution when a problem or obstacle comes up – it can be very tempting to give up when challenged.  You will not achieve your goals without challenges and adversity.  Obstacles are a normal part of life. Having the strength of mind to find a solution regardless of the size of the problem is what you need, so you don’t give up.

2.     Anticipate problems – try to think in advance what challenges may get in the way of achieving your goals, so they will not blindside you when they come up. Learning to anticipate these challenges will help you deal with the discouragement that comes from unexpected obstacles.  For every goal, brainstorm with yourself and write down a list of every possible setback that can occur and the problems that can arise while pursuing your dream.  By doing this critical homework, when challenges come up, you will not be blindsided.  You will already have the solutions to the obstacles as they come up.

3.     Learn from mistakes and failures.  When you encounter a setback or an error, it could lead to giving up while you are pursuing your goal.  Setbacks and mistakes are normal and are going to happen.  What is crucial for you is to look at them as learning opportunities instead of failures.  Train yourself to look for lessons that you can learn when setbacks occur.  You will then realize that this is perfectly normal and will encourage you to stick to your goals.

4.     Recognize that setbacks will happen, remember no matter how much you prepare, no plan is perfect. Reaching your goals can sometimes be a two-step forward and one backward step process.  You are always looking for forward progress, and getting discouraged with a setback will not help you. Focus on what you need to do to keep yourself moving forward.  Don’t take errors personally; you are not the error and don’t be hard on yourself.

5.     Be flexible; no plans ever go precisely how you want them to.  Flexibility is essential to success. Moving forward and adapting to the environment could mean the difference between achieving your goal or not. Flexibility is ultra-important in sports as situations on and off the field of play are constantly changing.

6.     Write your goals down and keep them visible. So you are constantly reminded of what they are.

7.     Never accept defeat.  When it comes to sticking to your goals, you mustn’t accept defeat.   When you experience setbacks and obstacles, you need to develop a growth mindset to see these challenges as opportunities.  The most successful athletes in the world have turned valleys into mountain peaks, and you can do that as well.  Even when it is challenging to stick to your goals, it is essential to remember when you don’t stick to them; you will never achieve them!

Think about your goals and promise yourself that you will always stick to them no matter what challenges come your way.  Here is an excellent quote by Brian Tracy, “You are where you are right now because you have decided to be at that level.” Is it time for you to choose to be at a new and better level?

Enio Sacilotto is President of International Hockey Camps and operates the Mental Edge High-Performance Coaching. Enio has 38 years of coaching experience (professional hockey in Europe and the Victoria Royals (WHL)). Currently, he coaches the North West Hawks U15 and the Croatian National Men’s team. If you have questions or are interested in any of his services, contact Enio at enio@coachenio.com or call 604 255 4747. Website: www.coachenio.com.