GOAL Setting
This type of goal focuses on the result you want to achieve, such as winning a state championship.
What is an outcome goal?
This mindset assumes that athletic ability and intelligence are largely fixed traits that cannot change much.
What is a fixed mindset?
A gymnast performs well in practice but suddenly makes unusual mistakes during a major competition because of the pressure. This is commonly called what?
What is choking under pressure?
Athletes often use this phrase to describe being completely absorbed in an activity and performing at their best.
What is being in the zone, or flow?
This psychological factor describes an athlete's belief in their ability to perform a particular task successfully.
What is confidence, or self-confidence?
In SMART goals, this letter means your goal should include a way to track your progress.
What is measurable?
An athlete says, 'I am not good at this yet, but I can improve with practice.' This reflects this type of mindset.
What is a growth mindset?
A runner keeps thinking, 'What if I lose?' right before a race. This is an example of what type of response to pressure?
What is performance anxiety, or anxious thinking?
According to the concept of flow, what is the ideal relationship between the difficulty of a challenge and an athlete's skill level?
The challenge should be well matched to the athlete's skill level—challenging enough to engage them without being overwhelmingly difficult.
A athlete tells themselves, 'I have trained for this. Trust the work.' What mental strategy are they using?
What is positive self-talk?
A runner sets a goal to complete all five scheduled workouts this week. This type of goal focuses on the actions the athlete controls.
What is a process goal?
After losing a race, an athlete reviews the race video, identifies mistakes, and changes their training. What mindset does this demonstrate, and why?
Answer: What is a growth mindset? The athlete uses failure as feedback and looks for ways to improve.
Before a penalty kick, a soccer player takes a deep breath and focuses on the target rather than the crowd. Name one psychological strategy being used
What is controlled breathing, attentional focus, or refocusing?
A skilled tennis player is bored while playing an opponent far below their level but becomes completely engaged against a similarly skilled opponent. Explain this using flow.
A better-matched challenge may create the balance of skill and difficulty that supports flow.
An athlete who believes they can succeed is more likely to attempt difficult skills and recover from mistakes. Identify one way confidence can influence performance.
It can improve persistence, decision-making, willingness to take on challenges, or recovery after setbacks.
A basketball player says, 'I want to improve my free-throw percentage.' Explain one way to make this a SMART goal.
What is adding a specific, measurable target and deadline, such as improving from 65% to 75% by the end of the season?
A player avoids trying a new skill because they are afraid teammates will see them fail. Explain how a fixed mindset may be affecting the player.
The player may believe mistakes reveal a lack of ability, so they avoid challenges that could help them improve.
A basketball player misses two free throws and starts thinking about the possibility of missing the next one. Explain how these thoughts could affect performance.
They can increase anxiety, distract attention from the routine, and interfere with execution
A runner is racing a personal-best attempt. Their movements feel natural, they aren't overthinking each step, and they feel completely immersed in the race. Explain why this could be an example of an athlete being “in the zone.”
The runner may be experiencing flow because they are fully engaged in the activity and performing without overthinking their movements.
A volleyball player has the physical ability to serve well but repeatedly tells themselves, 'I always mess this up.' Explain how this could affect their performance.
Negative self-talk can undermine confidence, increase anxiety, and distract the player from their serving routine.
An athlete sets a goal to win a national championship but has no plan for daily practice. Identify one weakness in this goal-setting approach and how to improve it.
What is focusing only on the outcome? Add specific process goals and measurable steps that the athlete can control.
Two athletes lose a starting position. One says, 'I will never be good enough.' The other asks the coach what to improve. Explain the key difference in their mindsets.
The first demonstrates a fixed mindset by treating the setback as proof of limited ability; the second demonstrates a growth mindset by viewing it as an opportunity to learn.
An athlete is so focused on consciously controlling every movement that a skill they normally perform automatically begins to break down. Explain why this can happen under pressure
Overthinking can disrupt automatic, well-practiced movements by directing attention away from effective execution.
An athlete wants to experience flow more consistently. Identify two conditions or strategies that may help create it.
setting clear goals, receiving immediate feedback, concentrating on the task, minimizing distractions, and finding an appropriate challenge.
An athlete feels confident after a strong performance but loses that confidence after one bad competition. Give two ways they could build a more stable sense of confidence.
Examples can include: focusing on preparation and controllable actions, keeping a record of progress, using realistic positive self-talk, learning from mistakes, and setting process goals.