Setting goals for healthy habits in the New Year is one thing, sticking to them is an entirely different ball game. Whether it be getting more exercise, eating better, or trying something new to live a more purposeful life, we’ve all set out for goals that haven’t come to fruition because, well…we stopped doing what was needed to achieve them.

The buck stops in 2023. Here’s what our team of sport psychologists had to say about how to maintain those goals and habits that you know will help you reach the best version of yourself.

Stay Socially Accountable
Having an ally in your corner of the ring is a game-changer when it comes to staying true to your goals. When trying to establish new healthy habits, one of the best strategies is to come up with ways to stay “socially accountable.” That might be reaching out to a friend to go to the gym with you at a certain time of the day, or telling your partner/spouse you’ll make dinner over the weekend. When we commit to more than the behavior itself, we’re more likely to follow through because it involves people we care about.

Maximize your Chances by Setting Process Goals
One of the best ways to give yourself an edge before even starting the journey? Utilize process goals to work towards your big goals. Set an outcome goal, such as “gain 25 pound on my bench press before summer” and then work backwards to identify the things that need to be accomplished on a weekly or even daily basis. Then set goals around those things. Some examples for the situation above might be getting eight hours of sleep per night, eating three healthy meals per day, exercise three days per week, and push yourself to failure each training session. Focus on the process goals and trust the outcome will be reached.

Take it Easy
There’s no shame in selecting habits or goals that are perceived as ‘easy.’ In fact, setting and achieving easy goals will give you the confidence and consistency to go forth and achieve greater goals. Simply put, if it’s a stretch or challenging, it’s not going to get done. For example, rather than saying “I’m going to meditate every day for 10 minutes,” try to commit to one or two minutes each day.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up for a Missed Day
Consistency means doing something for an extended period of time and is everything for living out goals and healthy habits…yet missing a day or two doesn’t mean that you’ve lost your consistency or the habit. We’re humans, nobody is perfect. If you miss a day or two, don’t view it as a failure. Simply acknowledge it, turn the page, and complete the habit the next day.

We Are Our Actions
Our actions and aspirations mold who we are as humans. Tie your habits to your identity. Finish the sentence “I want to be the type of person who….” and then go from there. It’s important for your habits to be meaningful and important to you and associating them with your core identity is a great way to build that bridge.

Stack Your Habits
Place the new with the old. Stack the new habits you’re aspiring towards on top of existing habits or behaviors in your life. For example, try combining foam rolling with watching Netflix. If you’re hanging out and watching TV, you might as well do some stretching or mobility work while you’re at it. Combining the new behavior with an old one that you enjoy will help the new habit become more synchronous with your brain.

Physical Reminders = Mental Habits
If you’re trying to work on your footwork and your jump rope lives in the back of your closet, you’re setting yourself up for a losing equation. Set the tools necessary to practice your goals and habits in a clearly visible space so it’s near impossible to forget about. Trying to drink more water? Put your water bottle in front of the door so you can’t miss if before leaving for work or school. Trying to stretch more after practice? Put that foam roller in your living room where you wind down at the end of the day.

Track Progress for Self-Gratification
It can be tough to feel as if you’ve made progress in an ever-changing and fast-paced world…even when you’ve significantly moved the needle. Utilizing visual indicators for tracking your progress is not only satisfying, but can give you the motivation to keep churning full speed ahead. There are plenty of habit trackers that you can purchase hard copies of online, as well as virtual options and apps for your phone.

Focus on Turning the Ignition, Not Driving the Car
The hardest part of maintaining a habit is getting started. It can feel overwhelming to look at the task as a giant mountain to climb such as getting your daily workout in, cooking a meal at home, completing a homework assignment, or training an aspect of your sport that you are not proficient in yet. If you can say to yourself,  I will do the first step (i.e. put your workout clothes on, pull the ingredients out of the fridge, go to a coffee shop with your laptop or pull out your homework assignment, text coach to set up a time to get some extra training in) while giving yourself permission to step out if necessary, typically that doesn’t happen. Commit to doing the easiest first step and watch as your motivation builds through taking that initial action.

 

Why do we get involved in sport?

It’s a question that often is blanketed by busy seasons, grueling road trips, late night practices, and a concentrated, yet often crippling focus on results and winning. 

Winning creates a sense of accomplishment, results can lead to opportunities, and intense training can lead to the next generation of talent. 

Those are all great, yet are belittled in value if standing alone without a key crux of athletics. 

Sport ought to be fun. It ought to bring joy into one’s life. 

Joy doesn’t necessarily equate to things always being easy according to Premier’s  Dr. Chrissy Holm Haider. More so, it serves as a beacon towards fulfillment as an athlete and human. 

“Joy comes through satisfaction of re-engaging in your sport in a way that nourishes you as a person,” Holm Haider says. “Feeling connected with teammates, working towards attainable goals, and feeling yourself progress.”

Let’s face it; sport is rarely easy, oftentimes far from it. Yet in moments of frustration, turmoil, and stress, there are things that you can do to regain the sense of joy that perhaps drew you to sport as a child. 

Seeking Motivation in Bleak Times

An athlete searching for joy in sport is likely in that space because for one reason or another, joy has grown afar from them in the athletic arena. 

There are many reasons why an athlete may be experiencing a lack of joy. This time of year, that lack of joy often stems from decreased motivation.

“That concept of How do I keep training over break?, it’s cold out, not a lot of daylight, how am I supposed to enjoy continuing to go to the gym and train everyday?, really resonates this time of year,” Holm Haider says. 

There’s no denying that the winter months can be the most trying for athletes to find motivation and manufacture productivity…all while enjoying it. The secret to getting back on the horse and reigniting joy lies in re-engaging in the process.

“I like to tell athletes that you can’t wait to feel motivated, you can’t wait to feel confident, you can’t wait to feel excited, the joy actually comes through the action,” Holm Haider says. “Setting process-oriented goals that are specific, measurable, and realistic and work towards what you’re wanting creates an opportunity for fulfillment.”

Setting the goals is the core of the process, yet making sure that they’re attainable and that you’re writing them down and tracking progress is essential. 

“Writing things down and journaling your progress is important because it can be so hard to notice when things are going well when we’re solely focused on the overarching mountain in front of us,” Holm Haider says. “Setting those goals and starting to achieve them begins to build momentum and motivation.”

Goals are great, yet are seldom effective when they hone in on things outside of one’s control. Instead of setting a goal outside of your control such as beating a certain opponent, key in on the controllables; things like developing strong habits and routines, attainable new skills, and effort. 

“A lot of times the joy gets zapped out of us when we’re focusing on things outside our control,” Holm Haider says. “Let’s focus on the fundamentals. The further you get in your sport the harder it can be to make large jumps. Eliminate that expectation and move the needle forward step by step.”

Constantly Curious…Not Judgmental

Holm Haider recalls an experience working with an elite athlete who was returning from a grueling rib injury. Movement was limited and the athlete was constrained to rehabbing on an exercise bike; a repetitive, monotonous, and difficult task to the naked eye. 

Yet instead of approaching the task from a judgmental mantra of this is going to be painful and difficult Holm Haider encouraged the athlete to invite curiosity into the situation. 

“Instead of this is going to be really hard, we talked about being mindful and curious, introducing thoughts such as how much can I make this burn?, and how fast can I push?” Holm Haider says.

This athlete began to look forward to her training sessions and was able to recover in time to compete at USA Trials with a newfound confidence that she can push past her limits.  

“When we judge ourselves every step of the way, it sucks the joy out of sport. When you push yourself and open the doors of curiosity, the joy comes back because you’re focused on the process, not the outcome,” Holm Haider says. 

Inviting curiosity into your life as an athlete not only serves as a distractor from judgment, but as a window for you to learn more about yourself as an athlete. It can lead to the development of new skills and accomplishments, but most importantly, keeps your mind geared toward the process in difficult moments. 

For the Love of the Game

Far beyond playbooks, wins, and losses, sports are grounded in human beings. A community. 

Remembering that is critical, especially in difficult times. 

“We are social creatures, think of when you were a little kid and sports were the time that you got to hang out with friends,” Holm Haider says. “You were having fun and exploring.”

When seeking joy in sport, it’s essential to connect with those around you, in both the good times and bad. In moments of difficulty and frustration, human nature often guides towards isolation. As difficult as it may be, surrounding yourself with members of your sport community in those moments can help reignite joy. 

“ If we get too fixated on ourselves, the pressure and judgment builds and joy drains out.” Holm Haider says. “Encourage teammates, Be excited for their success. We see that performance increases and joy increases when we connect with those around us by encouraging others.” 

Peak performance in athletics is often associated with a no-nonsense, serious mantra. Yet without fun, many athletes are unable to find what it takes to be their best on the field. 

Holm Haider does an exercise with athletes to gauge this, asking them to place themselves on a scale in between serious and fun. Naturally, many athletes who are not enjoying sport will place themselves on the far end of the serious side of the scale.

“Then I ask them where they think peak performance takes place and it’s usually somewhere in the middle,” Holm Haider says. “Parents and coaches tend to operate from the mindset that everyone is too far on the fun side of the scale. (When people on the serious side of the scale) hear that, they just get more serious and it makes playing their sport even less joyful.”

The bottom line? Sport and joy aren’t mutually exclusive and athletes will be able to get the most of their sport by taking back the things that have made them love sport. 

“Get curious about the process but recognize that sport is a choice and it’s an opportunity to play a game you love,” Holm Haider says. “It isn’t going to last forever.  Be curious about the ways in which you can progress vs. what is not going right, be social and encourage teammates even if you don’t feel like it in the moment, and find moments each day that bring you gratitude in sport to build joy from the inside out.”

 

Fast Five: Finding Joy in Sport

1. Set process-oriented goals that are measurable and attainable. Be sure to write your goals done and journal to track progress.

2. Remember that joy does not always equate to sport being easy. Instead, view joy as the opportunity to find fulfillment in sport, engage with others, and work towards attainable goals.

3. Replace judgmental thoughts with ones of curiosity. Curiosity allows an athlete to stay committed to the process of progress instead of focusing on negative thoughts in difficult situations.

4. When the going gets tough, surround yourself with others. Communicate openly about your feels and be sure to support/cheer on others, it will help re-ignite your own joy.

5. You can strive for peak performance while also having fun and experiencing joy. Peak performance often occurs when athletes are experiencing joy, in opposition to an all-serious, no-fun mantra.

 

 

All athletes reflect on past endeavors; the good, bad, ugly, and everything in between. Reflection is good when used in a constructive way, yet holding on to past shortcomings, results, and outcomes can lead down a dangerous path; adopting a self-imposed identity based on one’s results and/or time in sport. 

“If my identity is solely as an athlete, what happens when injury or retirement come about?,” Premier’s Dr. Matt Mikesell says. “If my identity is as a winner, what happens when I’m not winning?”

To the naked eye, the concept of an athlete tying their entire identity to sport may sound out there; after all, humans are complex and sport is just one portion of an individual’s life. Yet the reality is far from that. 

With research from over 1,500 athletes, Premier’s Research and Analytics team found that just 26% of pro athletes were always able to set apart their self-worth from the outcome of practice or competition, compared to just 10% of high school athletes. 

Those are startling numbers, yet sadly not surprising. Being an athlete in the 21st century comes with unprecedented challenges and the outcome often results in athletes feeling like their entire being is dictated by results on the playing field…regardless of level. 

Letting go can seem nearly impossible at times, but the solution lies in reflection, incremental growth, and self-compassion. 

Why Do We Tie Our Worth to Sport?

The correlation between self-worth and sport looks different for each athlete given their status and situation in life. Mikesell often works with athletes who struggle to separate the two because they’re in a time of transition or nearing retirement. 

While the case for some athletes in high school, the struggle is often seen in collegiate student-athletes who are nearing the end of their athletic journey.

“(I often see that struggle) more in collegiate athletes than high schoolers because they have that many more years of sport under their belt,” Mikesell says. “That transition out of college isn’t just tough in sport, but life in general. Going from school and sports to a desk job where competitive sports are longer a part of the picture can be really difficult.”

The same can be said for professional or adult athletes nearing the end of their careers. While these athletes are just as human as anyone, their public perception has oftentimes been as someone who plays a sport…which can lead to difficult internal strain. 

“If on the outside the identity looks like being a tennis or soccer player, what does it look like on the inside?,” Mikesell says. “That concept of what those around us think versus who we know we really are can be tough to grapple with.” 

Regardless of level, separating self-worth and sport is often rooted in an immense care for results, rooted in perfectionism. 

It’s not uncommon for athletes to be perfectionists. Strong attention to detail, hard work, and a zest for being the best are all traits that mold upstanding performers on the field, in the classroom, and society in general. Yet perfectionism has a dark side; a swell of disappointment, frustration, and anger crossed with a shot to one’s confidence when results are not met to a T. 

Society knows perfectionists as individuals who strive for greatness in all aspects of life. Mikesell dives deeper into what many perfectionists feel, and what many experience that drives them to mesh their self-worth with results on the field. 

“I think that perfectionism is less about I need to have a 4.0 GPA or I need to play perfect in my game, and more about the idea of If I perform athletically or academically a certain way, I’ll avoid these feelings of shame, embarrassment, and defeat.” Mikesell says. “Those are very real feelings, and that’s where the concept of self-worth comes in.”

That’s a tough pill to swallow, and one that results in athletes of all levels experiencing burnout, extreme pressure, and unfortunately, a fractured relationship with their sport. 

Letting Go…How to Do It

Letting go is a phrase that transcends sport, it’s one that is valuable in life…yet it can mean something different for each person. For some it may be letting go of wins and losses to focus on process-oriented goals. For others it may mean letting go of a certain identity in a time of transition to untap new parts of their life. 

For all, it’s not an overnight process, yet one that can begin with incremental steps each day. 

For perfectionists, Mikesell encourages moving the needle each day, not tipping the entire scale. 

“One of the things that I work on with athletes is shifting away from perfectionism and instead focusing on chasing excellence each day,” he says. “Rather than thinking in terms of wins and losses, think about moving the needle forward each day in small amounts.”

Don’t focus on outcomes and instead ask yourself the question “What am I adding?” each day. Mistakes and mishaps happen each day, but by focusing on incremental wins like personal care, learning new skills, and giving full effort, you’ll feel a sense of validation and improvement through the thick and thin. 

After all, the journey to success takes time and you don’t want to peak today. 

That requires self-compassion, something that is essential for all athletes when it comes to separating self-worth and outcomes on the field. 

“Self-compassion is the key to being able to let go,” Mikesell says. “If we can’t have a glimpse of self-compassion after and during difficult outcomes, then how on earth are we supposed to be at our best in our next contest?” 

Self-compassion can be compartmentalized into three types; self-kindness vs. self-judgment, acknowledgement of others going through similar situations, and being mindful of our feelings in moments of distress. 

Practicing self-kindness instead of self-judgment is crucial in moments of adversity. Instead of getting down on yourself, engage in positive self-talk, applaud things within your control that you’ve done, and remind yourself that your mistakes do not define you. It’s also important to remember that what you’re feeling is human nature, and that many other athletes have experienced what you’re feeling…and if they haven’t they will at some point. 

Finally it’s important to acknowledge the feelings that you’re experiencing. Be observant of how you feel so you know how to react in future situations. As Mikesell mentioned, identifying those moments where self-compassion is needed is critical because self-compassion allows athletes to reset, turn the page, and move on. 

The concept of self-compassion may seem in opposition to the buck up, work through it mantra that is often associated with grit and resilience. The truth couldn’t be more opposite. 

“We spend so much time focusing on resilience and grit, but what allows grit and resilience to be sustainable is when we lose, trip up and make mistakes,” Mikesell says. “Self-compassion in moments of turmoil is what fuels strong resilience and grit. A lot of people think that those two things butt heads, but you can’t have one without the other.”