by Andrew Mackay
The New Year provides a great point in a year to consider new beginnings and to consider what feelings and experiences you want in the next year. Whether your focus is business, sporting or family or areas in each, I think it important to firstly STOP, CHECK IN and REVIEW.
This process doesn’t have to be a yearly process in-fact this simple “Check in” should be more regularly, even daily. This check in will work best when you have a dream, as from this dream come goals and from goals come motivation. Dreams can be hard but a way of thinking of this is, if you could have another chance – what would you do? Let’s come back to this later….
I’d like to share with you some key points I picked up from an article about super champions and almost champions (if you are a parent with sporting goals for your kids – I’d recommend you read this article as there are some further points that you’d probably be interested in).
What separates super champions from almost champions?
Almost Champions: Individuals that were good enough to play with the best but ended up second rate.
Super Champions: Olympians, Premier League players, National Champions
Super Champions viewed challenges in a positive light — as opportunities to grow — and overcame them thanks to a “never satisfied” attitude. This runs in contrast to almost champions, who blamed setbacks on external causes, became negative, and lost motivation.
“never satisfied attitude” that gains strength from failure — in ourselves and in others”
Goals of Super Champions
Super champions were driven from within. Their primary concern was self-improvement. They held themselves to high standards, but judged themselves against prior versions of themselves, not against others.
Effort and persistence
Individuals who have faced adversity and faltered in the past are more likely to show persistent effort and reach the top in the future.
Individuals who demonstrate persistent effort follow their interests; practice foremost to get better, not to outdo others; derive satisfaction from within; and feel constantly supported, but not pressured, in their journey toward achievement. If these criteria are in place, experiencing failure doesn’t weaken motivation — it bolsters it.
“With enough persistent effort, most people can get pretty good at anything.”
Dr Michael Joyner
Goals are the heartbeat of life
Goals are the heartbeat of life, if you flat line you’re dead. So if you want to swim better at the next event what do you need to do to be a better version of yourself?
1. Improve you open water skill set?
2. Technique improvements?
3. Dryland workouts with the small amounts of extra time you have?
4. Focused on better daily nutrition?
5. Join a squad or get to it more regularly?
You may want to assess your own Strengths and Weaknesses – this may help you to determine where opportunities lie. From this there might be a number of other processes or steps you need to take, for example you may need to find a technique coach, a nutritionist, a swim squad or seek further expertise in an area relating to the goal you have in place.
Challenge
What will inspire you to wake up every morning juiced to take on the challenges that you have set yourself? You don’t have to win or be top 3, but at the same time that might be right goal for some of you. The Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series shows results which include information like this below. This is a specific way of measuring your achievements.
1. Overall %
2. Gender %
3. Age Group %
What could you aim for? What is realistic? What event could you do this by?
Or the Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim offers perfect challenges for ranges of abilities – is the distance you’ve entered, getting you juiced each morning to get out and train that day and be a better you?
• “Give it a Go” and achieve the 500m distance
• Do you want to “Step it Up” from the 500m to the 1000m distance?
• Is “I’m Going Long” your ultimate challenge?
Remember the basics of GOAL SETTING
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timely
So if you had another chance – what would you do?
The reality check is we can’t turn back time but with every rising sun there is a new opportunity, so every day you have the opportunity to be a better version of yourself but check in regularly to make sure this “better version” is still what you want!
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Embrace the challenges, learn and grow from the obstacles that might present themselves, train and be persistent, seek answers from inspiring professionals, and set the goals that can deliver your dream.
Good luck with your swimming and have a successful 2020 both in and out of the water.
Happy New Year!
Andrew Mackay
Boost Coaching Ltd
www.boostcoaching.co.nz
Article Reference: What Separates Champions from ‘Almost Champions’ – by Brad Stulberg
