Dream
Dreams backed by plans, followed up with action items, become reality. Typically, most athletes who look for help to improve their mental game begin by discussing some sort of performance challenge they are facing. Many athletes start the conversation with one of the following:
- "I've been in a slump for a while now and just can't seem to get out of it. The harder I try, the more frustrated I get."
- "I got injured a few months ago and now I just can't seem to get back on track; it's like I'm scared or have a mental block."
- "I am in my draft year, I want to play well, but I feel all kinds of pressure to perform from my agent, my coaches, and my parents. I feel like I can't breathe."
In my work with clients, before we even get into any mental skills training, we begin by answering these two questions: "What's your dream?", and "What are you willing to do to achieve it?".
So give it a go! Start by thinking of what you truly want; what truly matters to you? Then put things into perspective and be honest with yourself and answer the following questions, "Are you ready to invest what it takes to become the best athlete you can become?" If the answer is a strong "Yes!", then the next steps are to clearly state your dream and identify the steps required to make that dream happen. These steps are your goals, both short-term and long-term goals.
Here's a simple exercise. If you are truly sincere about achieving your dream, then taking 5 minutes out of your day to plan your route and journey is very much worth it. Answer the following questions; preferably write out your answers in a notebook.
- What's your dream? State it clearly in 1-2 sentences.
- What 3 things have to happen for you to achieve your dream? Think short (4-6 weeks), medium (3-4 months) and long-term (6-12 months) planning.
- For the short, medium, and long-term plan above, what 3 things do you have to do to make each of those happen? This will give you a list of 9 action items.
- Identify 1 roadblock for the short, medium, and long-term plan above. In other words, what might get in the way of getting the 9 action items accomplished?
- For each roadblock identified, create a solution to overcome that potential roadblock.
What you've created above is a road map to your dream. Keep your eyes on the prize (your dream) but your focus is on the 9 action items you've identified. The first 3 action items should relate to short-term plans, that is what you will do over the next 4-6 weeks. Once you've accomplished these, move on to your medium-term plans, or in other words the next 3 action items, and then your long-term plans.
Repeat this process again in about 9-12 months. Anytime is a great time to review your road map, make sure your eye is still on the prize (your dream) and that steps and action items are in place to help you make your dream a reality.
When you set out on a journey, you want to have a plan and a map. You also want to refer to your map often, so keep it in a place where you can see it. Taking a few minutes to complete the above exercise will create a strong plan and this will be your foundation to success.