Should Goals be Time-bound?
In this article, Coach Philip explores goal setting and the commonly accepted approach to goal-setting that may actually inhibit performance by forcing a time constraint on athletes where no time may be the best option.
You can barely look at a coaching course which covers goal setting without covering the SMART(ER) process. It is so well-known and widespread. For those of you who need a reminder, though:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable,
Relevant
Time-bound
Exciting
Realistic
Of course, numerous articles cover these seven sections or variations of it. However, is this something that doesn’t work for age-group or amateur athletes?
Most age groupers don’t have the Olympics, which are very regular as their only focus. Instead, they have ambitions and alternative ways of making money. They can skip their A-race, and their world probably won’t implode! So we have to consider goalsetting for age-groupers with that lens.
Many amateurs have not been on a world-class programme, and we simply do not know what they are capable of because they aren’t operating anywhere near their true potential; there is too much noise interfering with their performance. Therefore, the “time-bound” element of a SMARTER goal becomes less valuable. Of course, there can be aims for a specific event or a season. However, the route forward is rarely linear. For example, if you want to get your FTP from 200W to 230W, you won’t predictably improve by 5W monthly. Therefore, applying an arbitrary time element may often undermine the process that most amateurs are going through – self-improvement. Some will also have targets and aims for an event, but there are frequently more steps to get there than they realise.
It sounds a little bit like when you get a quote to fix something on your house. The initial value and time to complete the job didn’t consider what they may find after they start. Many athletes are the same. Their goal may be pretty straightforward, but more factors go into making those short steps. The athlete may have to make some pretty big decisions around the best training option. Do they push forward, knowing they will encounter a glass ceiling later, or do they take time to get stronger and develop faster later? This sounds negative, but it means they could leapfrog their previous goal – why aim to win their age group when they could consider winning overall if they remove the limitations or barriers they didn’t initially realise were there?
Using the housework analogy, you have a new, shiny tap if you ask for a quote to install a new tap to replace an old, leaking one. But if, in the process of installing the new tap, they realise that it is actually the pipe that is also leaking, you can either replace the whole line and tap and have a new system to work with which doesn’t leak or know that you will still need to replace that new tap in the future because you haven’t fixed the cause. This is where the time element of goal setting can limit amateurs.
If they are continually up against the clock to the next race, they will usually choose the route that gets the leak stopped quickly rather than get the leak stopped permanently.
The beauty of working with amateurs and age-groupers is that there is no pressure from Governing bodies to hit targets at Games or test events. There are no reasons to take shortcuts; in fact, taking a shortcut with an athlete will only harm them in the long run and reduce the time they can spend enjoying their sport. Everyone is focused on doing their best in all areas. For some athletes, pushing for a specific A-race in a season means pushing the limits of what is possible, imposing another setback or glass ceiling later in the training process.
So, if you are an athlete looking at genuine progression and have a significant aim or goal, consider dropping the T. Identify all the steps you need to take to reach your goal and focus on making them individually. Celebrate each step forward and recognise you are making progress. SMEARR (ARMERS?!) may not be as catchy as SMARTER, but you will find you are a healthier, happier athlete by removing the boundaries set by arbitrary times. If those things are true, you will be a better athlete as a result. That is what most people are truly aiming for.
Philip is the founder of Tri Training Harder LLP. He’s a British Triathlon Level 3 coach, and has been coaching for over a decade and is involved with mentoring and developing other coaches.
Philip has coached athletes to European and World AG wins, elite racing, many Kona qualifications, IRONMAN podiums and AG wins.
Alongside the conventional development through many CPD courses, he has also been fortunate enough to work alongside experts in the fields of Physiotherapy, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, Psychology, Biomechanics, Sports Medicine. Putting this knowledge into practice he has worked with thousands of athletes to various degrees, from training camps in Portugal and around Europe, clinics in the UK and online coaching.
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