Tips for Setting Cycling Goals
Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.
Fitzhugh Dodson
It’s easy to amble through the year doing a few rides now and then when the weather is good and when you feel like it. But before you know it one year rolls into another and you haven’t really achieved anything.
By far the biggest achievers in life are goal setters. They think about what they want, and then move forward to make those goals reality. Make this year a great cycling year and set yourself some big goals. Here’s six tips to help you achieve great things:
1. Take time to think about what might really motivate, excite you and what you feel passionate about when it comes to cycling. Then set a goal that aligns with this passion. You must set a goal that is yours, not anyone else’s, and you must really want to achieve it for it to be compelling enough for you to make sacrifices to achieve it.
2. Write down the goal. There’s something about writing down a goal that creates a powerful connection and commits you to it in a way that is otherwise not possible. Write down something like “My goal this year is to [whatever you want to achieve] on [ date].”
3. List the tasks you need to do to achieve the goal. Breaking a big goal down into manageable chunks makes it much less daunting and more achievable. Then keep the list where you can review it regularly so you remind yourself what your target is. Subconsciously your brain will help you move towards the goal if you keep reminding it what the goal is.
4. Make the goal a tangible one with a specific date. Which one of these do you think has more power?
a. “Ride the Round the Bay in a Day in 4 hours 50 minutes by 30 October 2013"
b. “Finish a 100km bike ride” A specific achievement with a specific date creates focus for your brain and drives you to work towards attaining it.
5. Tell other people (friends, family, work colleagues) what your cycling goals are for the year. It will reaffirm your commitment and it will also make sure you achieve them. It’s a lot harder to back out of your goals when other people know about them. They’ll ask you how your training is going and that, in itself, will keep you motivated. You’ll also get to glow in their praise when you finally achieve the goal!
6. Be realistic in the number of goals you set. Identifying one long-range cycling goal, like completing your first 100km ride or competing in your first 24 hour ride, can lead to a multitude of tasks that keep you busy for months. If you overburden yourself you’ll end up achieving nothing. So assess your time commitments, what you might sacrifice and what is manageable.
Go ahead, set yourself a big cycling goal or two. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.
Fitzhugh Dodson
It’s easy to amble through the year doing a few rides now and then when the weather is good and when you feel like it. But before you know it one year rolls into another and you haven’t really achieved anything.
By far the biggest achievers in life are goal setters. They think about what they want, and then move forward to make those goals reality. Make this year a great cycling year and set yourself some big goals. Here’s six tips to help you achieve great things:
1. Take time to think about what might really motivate, excite you and what you feel passionate about when it comes to cycling. Then set a goal that aligns with this passion. You must set a goal that is yours, not anyone else’s, and you must really want to achieve it for it to be compelling enough for you to make sacrifices to achieve it.
2. Write down the goal. There’s something about writing down a goal that creates a powerful connection and commits you to it in a way that is otherwise not possible. Write down something like “My goal this year is to [whatever you want to achieve] on [ date].”
3. List the tasks you need to do to achieve the goal. Breaking a big goal down into manageable chunks makes it much less daunting and more achievable. Then keep the list where you can review it regularly so you remind yourself what your target is. Subconsciously your brain will help you move towards the goal if you keep reminding it what the goal is.
4. Make the goal a tangible one with a specific date. Which one of these do you think has more power?
a. “Ride the Round the Bay in a Day in 4 hours 50 minutes by 30 October 2013"
b. “Finish a 100km bike ride” A specific achievement with a specific date creates focus for your brain and drives you to work towards attaining it.
5. Tell other people (friends, family, work colleagues) what your cycling goals are for the year. It will reaffirm your commitment and it will also make sure you achieve them. It’s a lot harder to back out of your goals when other people know about them. They’ll ask you how your training is going and that, in itself, will keep you motivated. You’ll also get to glow in their praise when you finally achieve the goal!
6. Be realistic in the number of goals you set. Identifying one long-range cycling goal, like completing your first 100km ride or competing in your first 24 hour ride, can lead to a multitude of tasks that keep you busy for months. If you overburden yourself you’ll end up achieving nothing. So assess your time commitments, what you might sacrifice and what is manageable.
Go ahead, set yourself a big cycling goal or two. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.
setting goals | planning | event | race | fun ride
