C.5.1.1 Goal setting as a tool for enhancing motivation through outcome and performance goals Notes

Goal Setting: A Tool for Enhancing Motivation in Sport, Exercise, and Health

Psychological Skills

1. Evidence of Effectiveness
   1. Psychological training improves performance across different sports.
   2. Media frequently highlights athletes struggling under pressure, showing the role of mental preparation.
   3. Studies support psychology’s importance, but emphasize a multifactorial approach:
      1. Kunst & Florescu (1971): Psychological factors contribute to 35% of performance variance in wrestling.

The Development Process

1. Psychological skills require systematic training similar to physical skills.
2. Commitment and perseverance are essential for long-term improvements.
3. Pain and Harwood (2004) identified four misconceptions about sport psychology:
   1. Psychology is a quick fix.
   2. Only problem athletes need it.
   3. It is only relevant for elite athletes.
   4. Psychology is not useful in sports.
4. In reality, psychological training benefits all athletes and should be integrated into regular training.

Phase 1: General Education Phase

1. Introduces what psychological skills are and how they can be trained.
2. Clarifies roles of psychologist, coach, and athlete in the process.
3. Helps manage expectations and highlights PST’s potential benefits.
4. Can be adapted to individual needs, but not suitable for everyone.

Phase 2: Acquisition Phase

1. Focuses on learning and applying psychological skills.
2. Begins with needs analysis to tailor PST to the athlete’s development and environment.
3. Teaches implementation of strategies in relevant contexts.
4. Aims to make athletes independent problem-solvers and enhance self-regulation.

Phase 3: Practice Phase

1. Objective: Ensure practical application of skills in competition.
2. Weinberg & Gould (2011) Three Goals:
   1. Automate skills through over-learning.
   2. Integrate skills into performance situations.
   3. Simulate skills in competition settings.
3. Skills must be practised in realistic conditions, not in isolation (MacNamara et al., 2010).
4. Regular feedback, evaluation, and reflection (e.g., logbooks/journals) aid improvement.
5. Informal experiences (e.g., sport, life challenges) also contribute to mental toughness (Bull et al., 2005).

How Goal Setting Enhances Motivation

1. Goal setting is a psychological skill that directs attention and effort toward a specific task.
2. By providing a clear target, goals help athletes and individuals focus their energy, maintain motivation, and track progress.
3. In sport, exercise, and health, goal setting is particularly powerful because it:
   1. Provides Direction: Goals clarify what you’re working toward, reducing distractions and uncertainty.
   2. Increases Effort: A well-defined goal can push you to work harder, especially when it feels challenging but achievable.
   3. Boosts Persistence: Goals help you stay committed, even when faced with setbacks or fatigue.
   4. Enhances Confidence: Achieving smaller, incremental goals builds self-belief, which can fuel further success.

Types of Goals: Outcome, Performance, and Process

1. Not all goals are created equal. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can set different types of goals:
   1. Outcome goals,
   2. Performance goals,
   3. Process goals.
2. Each serves a unique purpose and is suited to different situations. Goals enhance motivation through the following mechanisms:
   1. Focus attention on key tasks.
   2. Mobilize effort based on task demands.
   3. Enhance persistence in training and competition.
   4. Encourage strategy development for achieving objectives.

Outcome Goals: The Big Picture

1. Outcome goals are norm-referenced, meaning they compare your performance to others or to an objective result.
2. These goals focus on the end result, such as winning a competition, achieving a personal best, or losing a specific amount of weight.
3. While outcome goals can be highly motivating, they are often influenced by external factors beyond your control, such as the performance of competitors or environmental conditions.
4. This can make them less reliable for maintaining motivation in the long term.

Performance Goals: Measuring Personal Progress (Learning-Focused)

1. Performance goals are self-referenced and focus on measurable improvements in your own performance.
2. These goals are about achieving specific, quantifiable targets that reflect progress, regardless of how others perform.
3. Performance goals are particularly effective because they are within your control and provide clear benchmarks for success.
4. They help you track progress and build confidence as you achieve incremental improvements.

Process Goals: Mastering the How (Learning-Focused)

1. Process goals are also self-referenced, but they focus on the techniques, strategies, or actions required to execute a skill successfully.
2. These goals emphasize the how, rather than the what.

Choosing the Right Type of Goal

1. The effectiveness of each type of goal depends on the individual and their achievement motivation, a psychological trait that influences how people approach challenges.
2. Some individuals are more motivated by external rewards (outcome goals), while others thrive on personal improvement (performance goals) or mastering techniques (process goals).

The SMARTER Framework for Effective Goal Setting

1. To maximize the effectiveness of your goals, they should follow the SMARTER-framework. This ensures that goals are clear, actionable, and adaptable.

• Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve.

• Measurable: Include criteria to track progress.

• Achievable: Set a goal that is challenging but realistic.

• Realistic: Ensure the goal aligns with your current abilities and resources.

• Time-bound: Set a deadline to create urgency.

• Evaluate: Regularly assess your progress.

• Review: Adjust the goal as needed based on your progress or changing circumstances.

Practical Applications of Goal Setting

1. Goal setting is widely used in sport, exercise, and health to enhance performance and motivation. Here are some examples of how it can be applied:
   1. In Sport: An athlete might set a process goal to improve their sprint start technique, a performance goal to reduce their 100m time, and an outcome goal to qualify for a national championship.
   2. In Exercise: A gym-goer might set a performance goal to increase their squat weight and a process goal to focus on proper form during each lift.
   3. In Health: Someone aiming to lose weight might set an outcome goal to lose 5 kilograms, a performance goal to reduce their daily calorie intake by 500 calories, and a process goal to prepare healthy meals at home.