SMART Goals

Whether you’re looking to improve on the court or in the classroom, it’s a good idea to set some SMART Goals for the upcoming season. Setting SMART goals can help you  focus efforts, use time and resources productively, and increase chances of achieving what you want to accomplish.

You might want to improve your strength or vertical, increase your GPA, or earn a bid to Nationals. Goals can be on or off the court, and for entire teams or individuals. In fact, it’s best to have a mix of many different types of goals. For any goal, you can follow the SMART acronym: Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Here’s are some examples:

Specific – “I want to get straight A’s this semester,” is more specific than, “I want to do well in school.”

Measurable – “I want to increase my bench press by 15 pounds and my squat by 20 pounds,” is a measureable version of, “I want to be stronger for the season.”

Achievable – “I want to improve my vertical by 2 inches,” is probably more achievable than, “I want to be able to dunk a basketball” (unless you’re really lucky!).

Relevant – If your goal is, “I want our team to earn a National bid,” it is important to make sure that the entire team is on the same page with how much practicing it will require.

Time-bound – Giving yourself a timeframe like, “I want to be able to do 20 pushups by March,” allows you to easily determine if it has been achieved.

What are your goals for the upcoming season? Be sure to share them with a friend, family, or teammate to help hold yourself accountable!

Source: Original Smack Sportswear Blog