Have you set your goals for 2016?
The new year is around the corner do you know what you want to do next year? Have you set into motion things to help you achieve your dreams? Do you even have dreams to go on and play basketball? Or are you just waiting around for it to just happen?
Let me be upfront. Without goals you are not going anywhere to play basketball. If you have a dream you need actionable items to make you reach that. Things just don’t happen. In most cases you have to create your own luck. Chances sometimes come and yes some people are lucky. But if the opportunity presented itself are you ready?
It worries me that I meet a lot of young basketball players with the dream to play college ball and pro ball not have any idea when I ask them what their goals are for the year. So let’s look at ways to help that dream of yours by mapping out some goals for 2016.
Here’s five questions to help you plan your goals for 2016
Q1. What is it that you want to achieve in the long run with basketball? Play college in USA? Play pro in Europe? Or is it playing in a rep team?
Q2. Where are you now with your basketball? Are you already in college? How far away are you from your dream? What is the next step up from you?
Q3. What are your weaknesses on the court? What are the skills that you need to improve to get to the next step?
Q4. What are your strengths? What worked for you this season? What improved this season and what did you do on the offseason to improve?
Q5. What’s your weekly schedule look like?
- Do you have time to work on your on court skill? What days and times in the week have you set aside?
- Do you have your strength sessions scheduled so as to give you appropriate time to recover before games and on court training?
- Have you scheduled time for your meals?
- Have you scheduled time in for studies/ personal development?
Each of these questions form at least 1 goal for the year. Remember, goals should always be measurable.
Good and bad examples of goals
A bad example of a goal is, I want to improve my perimeter shooting.
A good example of a goal is, I want to improve my perimeter shooting to 45% by July 2016.
A bad example of a goal is, I want to be fitter.
A good example of a goal is, I want to be fit enough to run 18 sideline sprints in a minute by October 2016.
Notice a good goal is measurable and has a time frame. Give your goals to a friend, family member or a coach so that you are held accountable. Check in with that person on a minimum monthly basis. I recommend weekly basis as it is easier to get back on track if you are starting to slide.
Setting goals are important and I highly recommend they are set before the new year comes around. You want to hit the ground running! Good habits formed prior to the start of the new year will carry that’s why this year like the last two I will be in the gym at 6am on the 1st of January 2016.
So what are your goals for 2016? Please comment to share what they are as I’d love to know.
I wish you all a happy new year and hope you set positive goals to take a step in the direction of your dreams. All the best for 2016!
