Athletes and coaches tend to be serious and focused on the now. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “We will take it one game at a time.” While it’s important to stay focused on the task at hand, it’s still valuable to dream and have long-term goals.

To keep their motivation high, young athletes need to dream of playing in the pros or competing in the Olympics. This fuels their desire to do what is necessary to achieve greatness. If you only take it one day at a time, you might lose sight of why you play the game.

“Your dreams should be out of reach, but not out of sight”

It’s easy to focus on targets for next year or performance improvements, but you also have to consider the big picture. Dream about things that are out of reach (but not impossible), not things you know you can achieve. It’s about having faith in yourself, your coach, your teammates and the process of getting better.

“Don’t do, pursue”

Every workout, every rep, every step is done in pursuit of your dream. They are all part of the big picture, which is what you need to focus on to get you through the work, pain and disappointment. You aren’t just working for next season; you are working towards the Olympics.

“Make wise decisions”

You have the dream and you’re pursuing it. Now what? You have decisions to make. When you make them, don’t ask what’s wrong with something, ask what’s right with it. This helps you get the right answer to the right question. A wise man once said, “There is nothing more dangerous or misleading than the right answer to the wrong question.”
Instead of asking “what’s wrong with skipping training this one time” or “what’s wrong with putting in less than 100% this session,” change “what’s wrong” to “what’s right.” This will give you a whole new perspective and guide you to the decisions you need to make to reach your long-term goals.
Find even more tips to stay motivated and focused on your goals.