Goals are what drives each and every one of us, in all walks of life, to strive for something more. It keeps us going until we either, reach that goal and then find a new one or an obstacle becomes so great that we need to re-assess our goals or the process in which we use to achieve them.
Everybody has a different type of motivation and it won’t necessarily work the same for the person next to you. Our minds work in different ways. The way we view situations and how to best deal with them is always completely unique to each individual. There can many obstacles which come in to play when our mind is at work and your mental health is highly important in dealing with any obstacles that arise.
Mental health is a very misunderstood issue. Most would assume that the term ‘mental health’ only applies to those with a condition diagnosed by a GP, Psychologist or Psychiatrist, but Mental health applies to everyone!
“What’s mental health got to do with goals and motivation”, I hear you say. A lot! It will make more sense as you read on.
We all have to look after our minds. Various day-to-day stresses in life take their toll and may have negative effects on our psychological well-being. Then there is the out-of-the-ordinary events that can have sudden impacts and cause deep wells in our minds that are extremely hard to get out of. Sudden mental impacts may be caused by the death of a loved one, experiencing a traumatic event, a relationship break-down, being made redundant from your job or even something that occurred during childhood. It may even be genetically related. The list of possible causes is seemingly endless.
This can’t be ignored. Acknowledging when you don’t feel as you should and certain negative feelings take up a large portion of your thoughts, there is a need to seek assistance. It might be with a professional or it could simply be with a family member, partner, friend, work colleague or coach. However, not everyone understands. Some people will listen briefly and then say “you’ll be right, just get on with it”, which doesn’t really achieve much. Others will take the time to genuinely try and understand what is bothering you and then be helpful in moving forward.
I have sought assistance from a psychologist on several occasions when I have had increasing levels of stress, anxiety and an overall feeling of frustration with my ability to perform tasks to the level I believe I would usually. Through seeking professional help, I have learned about some reasons for my state of discomfort and discussed methods for recognising these times and how to combat them.
All of this ties in with your goal setting and motivation because any mental obstacle will have an effect on your ability to focus. Being able to focus on the task at hand determines the quality of the output. I think everyone has experienced times when they’ve been stressed about something and found their physical output is compromised, creating further frustration and mental instability.
When it comes to establishing your goals for the triathlon season, try to ensure you do so with a clear mind. Taking into account all facets of your daily life, not excluding any important details so that when things come up that effect your training or racing schedule, they are not surprises and you are prepared to work around them with a calm state of mind. Make your long term goals first such as, your main race(s) and the outcome you’re looking for. Followed by any minor events you wish to participate in and then establish your program around these events.
If you were to try and do this with an unstable state of mind you may quickly find your goals to be unrealistic or unattainable which may cause further set back. If you get your mind right first you may find your goals will change slightly, in a positive direction, down the track because you have been able to train better than expected due to heightened focus. This is an indication of the very positive physical results your mental health can achieve.
I am not a professional in the field of mental health. This is all taken from personal experience, reading of publications from athletes and coaches and from simply thinking deeply about the topic to try and get the best out of myself. It never ends for me, either. I will continue to assess, re-assess and challenge my mind for as long as I can. I believe this will keep it stronger for longer.
In my next piece, I will detail own my goals and I'll show you an example of my program in the lead up to the 2013-14 Triathlon season. Also, I will explain what factors came in to play when writing it.
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