The Science of Goal Setting in Sports for Lasting Success
- Brainz Magazine
- Mar 28
- 6 min read
Written by Valérie Leone, Fitness Coach
Valérie Leone serves as Personnel Selection Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. She holds a master's degree in criminology, she co-found the South Shore Iron gym in 2019, and she is a dedicated powerlifting athlete. She has taken several other lifters under her wing and have helped them on their quest in strength sports.
Many athletes find themselves setting unrealistic goals, often due to a lack of understanding of their physical abilities. Goals that are too high and need to be accomplished in too short a time can lead to psychological distress, followed by disengagement, meaning giving up on pursuing a personal goal. This informative article aims to review the literature exploring ways to persist in achieving one’s goals and, consequently, lead a more engaged and fulfilled life.
“Goals are dreams with deadlines.” – Diana Scharf Hunt
Goal setting is a strategic process that transforms vague ideas into specific, measurable, and attainable objectives. As several researchers have defined, a goal is what an individual is trying to accomplish; it is the object or aim of an action. Meeting a goal means attaining a standard of proficiency on a task within a specified time limit.
Goals are defined as cognitive representations of a desired state that motivate behaviour toward their attainment. Personal goals usually describe goals that are of high personal relevance or meaning to the individual (e.g., earning a university degree, getting married). Typically, these goals are pursued over a longer period of time rather than being achieved in a single episode of action, and some may not even have a specific endpoint (e.g., keeping fit), thus requiring repeated action.
“Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson
When it comes to athletic performance, goal setting is an essential element for progress. In 1981, Locke proposed a model of goal setting based on three central propositions: (1) hard goals result in higher levels of performance than less demanding goals, (2) specific goals lead to superior performance compared to no goal or a general goal (like doing your best), and (3) using short-term goals in conjunction with long-term goals leads to better performance than using long-term goals exclusively.
Goal difficulty: Finding the right balance
Pursuing a moderately difficult goal is suggested for all athletes, considering that difficulty is a stable variable in the relationship between “goal setting and performance.” However, the concept of difficulty seems to be quite fluid for athletes and may change over time. This would be based on controllable factors such as effort and time invested in training and uncontrollable factors such as recovering from a debilitating injury, for example. That being said, it was concluded that difficult goals do lead to greater performance than ‘do your best’ goals, and it is important for individuals to commit to difficult goals in order to succeed.
Another factor to consider in the "difficulty" dimension is the athlete’s perception of their ability to achieve the goal, in other words, goal efficacy. For example, it might be beneficial if an athlete feels more capable of achieving a moderate goal than a difficult one. On the other hand, another athlete might benefit from having a more difficult goal, as this could enhance their commitment to it.
The power of specificity and time
Precision in goal setting proves to be a key factor for success. Goals that are formulated more specifically are considered more effective in changing behaviours, directing them more towards the goal, which increases motivation and performance. On the other hand, goal proximity will also have a significant impact on an athlete’s persistence in achieving their goal. It is specified that short-term goals concern daily goals, such as succeeding in a training session one dreaded, or anything under six months. The temporal span of long-term goals varies from one-year to four-year Olympic cycles. Several sports psychology researchers suggested that by combining short-term and long-term goals, short-term goals could provide necessary direction or incremental steps toward achieving long-term goals, the latter of which they suggested should be set first. In other words, breaking down the ultimate goal would facilitate its accomplishment.
All in all, the research seems to indicate that difficult and specific short- and long-term standards result in superior performance when contrasted with more vague goals or no goals.
“The coach is the architect of champions, but the athlete is the builder who constructs their own future.” – Unknown
As discussed above, the underlying model for goal setting is based on three major ideas, but some elements may have a more significant impact on the accomplishment of goals related to athletic performance. That said, the coach has, first, a direct influence on the athlete by defining certain goals and how to achieve them. The coach then has an indirect influence through how they interact with the athlete. Thus, daily engagement with the athlete, both in training and competition, will have a significant impact on the pursuit of goals and the motivations that underpin these goals. When coaches adopt behaviours that favour autonomy, such as offering choices, providing explanations, and recognizing athletes' perspectives while limiting controlling behaviours like the use of punishments or conditional rewards, athletes are more likely to pursue their goals for autonomous and intrinsic reasons.
“A coach is someone who makes you do what you don’t want to do, so you can be who you’ve always wanted to be.” – Tommy Lasorda
Goal contagion in sports psychology refers to the idea that exposure to a goal pursued by another person, such as a coach, teammate, or even a role model, can influence an individual’s goals and motivations. In other words, when someone is in contact with someone pursuing a specific goal, it can lead to the adoption or adjustment of their own goals, often unconsciously.
This goal contagion can occur in several ways in a sports context:
Coach's Influence: A coach who sets ambitious goals for their team can lead athletes to align their own goals with those of the coach. For example, if a coach emphasizes improving performance in competition, players may also adopt similar goals to reach a comparable level of performance.
Teammate Influence: Athletes can also be influenced by the goals or aspirations of their teammates. If a teammate sets a high-performance goal, it can create positive social pressure, where other athletes adopt similar goals to avoid feeling left behind or to align with the group's aspirations.
Role Models: Exposure to role models in sports can also trigger goal contagion. For instance, a young athlete who admires a professional player and dreams of following in their footsteps may start setting goals that imitate those of their idol, such as reaching a specific performance level or playing in a particular league.
The central idea is that goals can "spread" from one person to another, especially when individuals find themselves in an environment where similar goals are valued or pursued.
“True motivation comes from within. It is the love for the sport, the challenge, and the process that propels an athlete to greatness.” – Unknown
Presenting various forms of motivation can help achieve goals. However, intrinsic motivation is the one most significantly related not only to achieving goals but also to well-being in athletic populations. This form of motivation refers to a person’s engagement or enthusiasm for an activity, not because of external rewards or benefits but due to the satisfaction, enjoyment, or sense of accomplishment they derive directly from it.
This advances the literature by acknowledging that effective goal pursuit might have benefits for outcomes other than performance, allowing for the satisfaction of basic needs such as competence, autonomy, and social connections, which contribute to a more fulfilled life.
In summary, goal setting in sports is not just a performance strategy but also a crucial means of fostering engagement, motivation, and well-being for athletes. Research shows that specific, moderately difficult, and well-defined goals, combined with both short-term and long-term objectives, lead to better performance while supporting a sustainable process of personal growth.
Moreover, the influence of coaches, teammates, and role models plays a fundamental role in goal contagion and intrinsic motivation in athletes. By providing an environment that promotes autonomy and recognizes individual efforts, athletes can persist in their pursuits authentically and fulfillingly.
Ultimately, motivation driven by a love for the sport and the pursuit of personal challenges remains one of the keys to long-term success, allowing athletes to fully realize themselves beyond mere competitive results.
Valérie Leone, Fitness Coach
Valérie Leone is balancing her role as a Personnel Selection Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces with her academic achievements in psychology and criminology, along with operating the South Shore Iron gym in Montreal. Her background in psychology and criminology likely provides her with a unique perspective on the mental and emotional aspects of training, leadership, and personal growth. Her role in the Canadian Forces gives her a sense of discipline and resilience that undoubtedly influences her powerlifting career and the way she mentors others. Her mission: creating a space where others can not only pursue physical fitness but also find a supportive community to help them grow.
