Goal Setting
Why is it important?
They provide direction |
It provides support |
Goals tell you where do you need to go and how to get there.
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By setting goals you can track your progress and decide which areas need more work than others.
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Goals keep you going when you might otherwise give up.
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Type of Goals
There is three types of goals:
Outcome |
Process |
Performance |
They can be thought of as win/lose goals. These are goals focused on the quality of a performance in reference to others.
They are based on uncontrollable results.
An example would be: "win a competition". Nonetheless, in this case, this goal seems too broad and general. An improved way to set it would be: "Set up a mock performance or competition each week leading up to the competition in March. Visualize myself staying relaxed and focused on stage for 15 minutes each day". |
They relate to how you go about doing something, or the specific methods and procedures employed within training and performance activities.
An example would be "relax my finger to enable a better technique".
Again, this goal is too broad and general and doesn't give you specific strategies to achieve it. An improved way to set it would be: "Check for tension in the middle and end of each technique exercise". |
They relate to the quality of a performance, either in practice or in public, in reference to yourself and your own abilities.
An example would be "improve concerto to a higher performance standard than last time".
Again, this goal doesn't give you specific strategies to achieve it. An improved way to set it would be: "Review recording of past performance to assess current weaknesses, develop exercises to help address these, perform again at faculty class next month". |
This way, while the goals are the same, thinking about specific strategies on how to achieve them it will give you a clearer vision of the goal itself.