We all know the goal of the Chiefs and Niners is to WIN the Big Game! But is a goal to WIN good enough? Goals help inform strategy to build a winning game plan. It’s not enough to just say WIN. You have to go deeper. Defining difficult yet attainable goals for each play is essential. Clearly defined stretch goals matter and lead to the incremental success that translates into big wins.
Do you regularly develop clear and specific stretch goals for your Big Games? To-do lists don’t count. The best goals are attainable but challenging. Top performers know their finish lines because they are clearly defined every step of the way1. Average performers wing it. Studies show goal setting also increases the most potent form of motivation: Intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is a product of meeting three basic needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness or what is sometimes referred to as self-determination2. Establishing clear and specific goals has many benefits and can set you apart from the to-do list crowd.
Vince Lombardi once said, “Coaches who can outline games on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate them.” Clear, challenging, and specific goals can motivate and elevate performance. But even the best goals can be tripped up by distractions that can come before the Big Game. The events leading up to the Big Game start today and present a real challenge. In Part 3 of The Mindset of a Champion I will tackle, “Dealing with Distractions.”
- McCarthy, 2018; Locke & Latham, 2006
- Deci & Ryan, 2002
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