The New Year is nearly upon us, and for Athletes everywhere that means dreaming of what can be accomplished in 2019. For the driven and focused Athlete, going beyond dreaming is an absolute “must”. Like a ship lost at sea, an Athlete can float aimlessly in any direction going through their day to day training in the name of making “gains”… Or they can take it to the next level by crafting a powerful vision that acts like the rudder of a ship and guides them toward success! Over the years, we have developed the following five-step protocol that can help make your season successful beyond expectation: Arriving at the start line of your biggest objectives confident and ready for the task starts with a dream and the courage to challenge yourself to think BIG! Photo Credit: Cotton Sox Photography. Step #1: Open Your Mind & Dream Getting started is most often the hardest step. Sometimes the reluctance to solidify a vision can come from our experiences of past failures as the sting of missed targets creates anxiety that history will almost certainly repeat itself. Although it can be said that part of Endurance Sport is experiencing and working to overcome setbacks, creating a powerful vision goes a long way to increasing your chances of being successful. To move forward and dream, you must cast-aside previous under-performances and look to all that 2019 can be. To complete this step you must dream without consideration of constraints and not assume that the limitations you have experienced in the past cannot be overcome. Take 30 minutes without distractions - no phones, TV, or other interferences - and think about all the things you would like to achieve athletically in 2019. Allow yourself to visualize and “feel” what it would be like to achieve the successes you dream of. Note: It can take longer than 30min. for some of us to dream-up our season goals, so consider multiple ‘sittings’ if need be. Step #2: Write Out What You Want To Accomplish In 2019 Following your 30 minute Visualization of what success could look like this season, it’s time to write-it-out. Put down on paper - yes write it out - don’t type it on a screen (yet). On a blank sheet of paper titled: My Vision For Success 2019. Write down what you want to accomplish. Itemize the different goals you came up with and be specific with your intentions. Step #3: Challenge Yourself & Write What A WILDLY Successful 2019 Would Look Like Once you have written your goals, now it’s time to push your limits and get outside your comfort zone. What would a WILDLY SUCCESSFUL 2019 look like? Dream bigger and write down something that scares you to say out loud. Think of something that would make you extremely proud and something that you would remember with satisfaction for years to come. How does that narrow your focus and sharpen your goal(s)? Now re-write your vision for a successful 2019 by blending the work you did in Steps 2 & 3 to create a clear and concise statement of what you want to achieve next season. A well articulated vision of your season requires more than just big desires, it requires daily action that moves you toward actualizing the vision. Photo Credit: Google Images Step #4: Evaluate Strengths & Identify The Fitness/Skill-Set That Must Be Developed To Accomplish Your Goals! Now is the time to take the rudder that is your vision for 2019 and use it to focus your efforts on the steps necessary to achieve these goals. What are the steps necessary to accomplish your vision? Are there specific fitness targets that must be achieved? What are the skills and strengths you possess, that when honed, will drive you toward these goals? List 3-5 strengths and skills you have and how you can “take them to next level” to make you successful in 2019. Next, what are the elements of your fitness that are under-developed and must be enhanced to ensure you are successful? Follow this list of strengths with another itemization, this time outlining the “weaknesses” you have identified that must be developed in order to achieve your goals. Note: Be sure to make this second list a thorough one that identifies as many potential “limiters” and setbacks you could encounter in your seasons’ journey. Step #5: Create A Plan With The Appropriate Short-Term Targets That Develops Deficiencies & Keeps You Pointed Toward Success Now that you have identified strengths and weaknesses, it is time to identify short and medium-range targets that will get you to your goal. As you identify these steps, look to make the targets simple and not overly complex. The idea here is to decant a year-long goal into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and eventually daily targets. This may sound like a lot of work, but there is a method to the madness. With potent daily workouts, an Athlete will have a productive week of training. These weeks add up to effective months of training, which drive you toward your vision. The purpose of this portion of the exercise is to identify what is “next”. This will allow you to take actions today, this week, and later this month that will move you in the direction of your goals. Much like the Captain of a ship ensures his crew “stays the course”, these short and medium-range targets will help you stay on track for a wildly successful 2019. The open-ocean is often punctuated with rough waters. Creating a vision for a successful season ensures that when adversity arises, you remain focused on your destination! Photo Credit: Google Images
Bonus Step(s)… Now that you have written everything out, there are only three things left to do… #1:Post your vision for this years’ success in multiple places, like your office or where you store your bike, so you are constantly reminded of what you are working for throughout the year! #2:Take daily action that is congruent with your vision! #3:Make adjustments along the way to your daily and weekly targets to keep you on track as progress is made and setbacks are overcome. Summary: At Big Wheel Coaching, our passion is helping Athletes achieve their goals… and beyond! We believe that you have untapped potential that is waiting to be unleashed and want to help you “get after it”. If you are looking to make your 2019 cycling season the best it can be and would like support and guidance to help you craft your vision, consider scheduling a consultation with a BWC Coach! We would be excited to help you draft a plan to help you achieve your 2019 vision! Link: https://www.bigwheelcoaching.com/coaching-consultation.html #TrainYourPotential Until Next Time, Be Safe, Train Hard, & Have Fun! -Brian and Joy McCulloch Big Wheel Coaching |
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September 2020
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