Exploring Where Goal Setting Can Go Wrong
Goal setting can go wrong for a number of reasons:
* Outcome goals can be set instead of performance goals. Where an
athlete using outcome goals fails to achieve the goal for reasons
outside his or her control, this can be very dispiriting and can
lead to loss of enthusiasm and feelings of failure. Always set
performance goals.
* Goals can be set unrealistically high. When a goal is perceived to
be unreachable, no effort will be made to achieve it. Set
realistic goals.
* Conversely goals can be set so low that the athlete feels no
challenge of benefit in achieving the goal. Setting goals has been
a waste of time. Always set goals that are challenging.
* Goals can be so vague that they are useless: it is difficult to
know whether vague goals have been achieved. If achievement cannot
be measured, then your self-confidence will not benefit from goal
setting, nor can you observe progress towards a greater goal. Set
precise, quantitative goals.
* Goal setting can be unsystematic, sporadic and disorganised. Here
goals will be forgotten, achievement of goals will not be
measured, and feedback will not occur into new goals. The major
benefits of goal setting have been lost. Be organised and regular
in the way that you use goal setting.
* Too many goals may be set, leading to a feeling of overload.
Remember that you deserve time to relax and enjoy being human.
Where goal setting does go wrong, not only are the benefits of goal
setting lost, but also the whole process of goal setting can fall into