The Importance of Goal-Setting

So you think that waking up, putting on your gear, and rolling off on your bike is enough to stay in shape and improve your performance? Yeah, maybe--but if the extent of your planning is to work out regularly then you are seriously hindering your ability to make it to the next level.

Before you set your foot down upon your pedal you should understand why you’re going on a ride. If there is a purpose then you will be more inclined to finish strong and to maintain a positive outlook. Setting long-term, short-term, and mid-term goals will help you raise your skill and fitness levels better than just going out for a ride each morning.

Long-term goals will give a sense of purpose to all of your riding. Maybe you want to make a run for going pro, or maybe you want to be able to finish in the top 3 of a competitive race; whatever your reason, it is important to have a goal that will last for at least a few years which will persuade you to ride.

Mid-term goals will allow you to set upon something and, within a reasonable time frame, accomplish it. If you are new to the sport you might choose a goal like reducing the number of times you have get off your bike to go around an obstacle, or even just learning how to lift the front and back tires off the ground properly. More experienced riders might set goals regarding strength gains and power output. Really it depends on your skill level and the rate at which you are able to learn.

Short-term goals will help you feel success with each and every ride. Short-term goals need to be easy to identify and possible to obtain with hard work. You should not set a goal that is so easy to defeat that you can do it without any improvement, but they need to be realistic. The best short term goal is going to be nagging at you during your ride, keeping you readily aware of your status while also giving you a positive feeling that you are getting closer to a positive end.

Goal setting is extremely important for improving. Setting goals the right way is integral to making the entire process work. If you set a goal too high you will lose morale and it will keep you off the bike; setting goals too low will keep you from being challenged and you won’t improve.

So start setting goals, adjust them as you learn more about the goal setting process, and you will see more improvement while maintaining a better outlook during your training.