Resolutions: Realistic & Focused

Another year has passed and 2020 has been one that many are ready to put behind them. As an athlete it is most likely a year like you have never seen before with modified schedules, socially distanced workouts, and zoom meetings with your coaches. While I will not disagree that 2020 has been a year of challenges, I would like to rather focus on the positive aspects of the year and where we go from here. 

It is easy to view this past year from a negative perspective, however what if we were to shift our lens to focus on the positives that the year brought and setting ourselves up for success in 2021. Without question, I am certain that athletes around the world have become more resilient which is an excellent trait to have for any athlete. Most of you have been forced to adjust schedules, communicate in new ways, and learn to be mentally tough through a difficult time. Take a good look in the mirror and at 2020 and ask yourself, what did I learn from such a challenging year, what can I take forward in my athletic and personal life from these strange circumstances, and how can I be the best I can be in 2021!
 
Let’s look at setting our goals for 2021! Our team at Power Plus strongly supports goal setting and having a plan for the upcoming year. In saying that, it is critical that your goals have two major components, the goals need to be realistic and they need to be focused. For example, many young athletes when asked what their goal for the upcoming year will say something such as this “I want to be the best hockey player I can be”. While that sounds fantastic and is a very positive goal, there is a lack of focused attention in that statement and it is tough to know if it is realistic because there is no way to measure an ambiguous statement such as that. Let me provide an example of a realistic and focused goal for 2021:
“I want to improve my strength by 15% in 2021, I strongly believe I can do this by measuring my current fitness metrics, increasing the amount of my schedule focused on strength training by 20%, and utilizing the resources in my community to help me achieve my goal”
That goal sets a timeline, specific metrics to how the goal will be achieved, and an excellent plan to achieving the given goal. A goal is a part of you, it’s something you commit to, so make sure you put the time in and make it something you really want to achieve and believe you can achieve. Positive thinking and a solid action plan are a fantastic start to achieving your goals in athletics, scholastics, and your personal life. Power Plus wishes all of you a Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you all in 2021!