It is always interesting to observe peoples psyche following the Laker’s presentation night each year. Typically there are three responses I find-
For the latter this form of motivation won’t last long so it is important, if this is you, to spend some time formalising your plans and working out how you will be able to make it happen. For me the starting point is always to assess if you have the Hunger and Belief required to make it a reality.
Hunger is what Kev has. He sets his sights on being the best. He dreams big (winning 5 world titles is a big goal) and then uses this motivation to get him out of bed and training each day. This goal is something he can see and feel. It is something that gets him excited, but it also enough of a stretch goal that he knows he will have to put in the work to make it happen. So, finding this sort of goal is vital.
While sport psychologists talk of goals needing to be measurable, specific, realistic etc. I personally just like these big dreams even if they don’t meet any of these requirements. Goals are nice but dreams are what get us truly invested. Sure, once the dream is in place you break it down into the manageable, smaller chunks (goals) but the initial dream has to make you hungry. It needs to click with your core values and drive you to train.
However, having a dream on its own isn’t enough. The next requirement is particularly tough for those who are heading into new territory- that is belief. To be successful you need to be unwavering in your belief that you will succeed. Without this belief that you can, and will be successful, it is unlikely that you will achieve your end goals.
I like to get people to answer the following three questions to see if they are ready. If you can answer yes to all three then our chances of success improves considerably.
Sometimes it is that voice on our shoulder that tells us if our belief is going to be strong enough. What are your voices telling you? Are they saying, “your awesome, you can do this, go for it?” or are they saying, “it’s too hard, you are not good enough, you don’t have time…?” If it is the latter then you have some work to do in rescripting your thinking, through things like cognitive therapy. But sometimes we just have to start. Don’t see the enormity of the challenge just break it down into bite sized chunks and work to get some early wins. Out of these new beliefs grow and we find our capacities to achieve increase.
Look at any triathlon victory dais and you will see someone who has unsatiable drive (hunger) and belief. This is what separates them from the rest.
Brad Bevan was an early triathlon hero of mine. He was pretty much unbeatable over the triathlon Grand Prix series, which dominated Aussie TV screens in the 90s and Triathlons World cup from 92-95. He grew up and started his triathlon career in Mirriwinni. A town of 492 people in far north Queensland. His early stories of training were that he swam in crocodile infested swamps, crashed into Kangaroos on the dirt roads he trained on and ran in either oppressive heat or driving rain to school while carrying bricks in both hands, while his mates caught the bus. (to read more on Brad click here) A far cry from our current elite training environments. But such was his hunger and Belief he turned that environment into a real strength and he made his triathlon dreams a reality.