Winning seems to be on everyone’s mind. “How’d you do?”, “What was the score?” “How many hits did you get?” “When’s the next game?” These are things the world wants to know! Seldom are athletes or their parents asked, “How many miles did Jane run this summer?”, “What time did you go to sleep on the two nights leading up to the game?”or “What did you go without to be able to afford all of those lessons?”
The things that go into being ready to work toward winning–the steps in the process– are usually both more important to the outcome and more valuable to the person than the goal itself. Work to outline a process that will help you identify the steps you will take to get better and get to work! Then you can focus on communicating that plan to others.
Make a plan for each outcome goal. Detail the steps you think you’ll need to take to get you there. It’s ok to say that these are the things you think you should do. Make your best guess. There’s no way to predict the future exactly.
Next, ask: What must you do to be in a good position to start doing those steps you’ve outlined? What are the steps-within-the-steps? How often do you need to do them? At what intensity? Do you need help? Equipment? Teammates?
Spending the time to ask, “What’s Important Now?” will ease your worries and allow you to make progress. This is what they call “the process”.
Here are five questions to ask yourself as you get ready to tackle any goal.
- Is my goal well defined?
- What does the future look like specifically if I achieve my goal? How will I know if I’m successful?
- Is this goal important enough to me that I’ll actually put in the work necessary?
- Do I need any help from others to get started?
- What’s the very first thing I need to do?
Using these questions you’ll find that a plan will uncover itself and you can get to work toward your goal.
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ONE Softball Staff
The ONE Softball editorial staff has decades of success in coaching and business. Coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences, the founders share one common goal: to help the softball community come together. We are excited to provide crucial resources for players, parents and coaches to succeed at every level.