Sport And Exercise Psychology: A Critical Introduction

Future directions in research on goal-setting

According to Burton et al. (2001) and Burton and Naylor (2002), the following new
directions can be sketched for research on goal-setting in athletes. First, more research is
required to establish the optimal level of goal difficulty for athletes in specific types of
sports. Second, little is known, at present, about the relationship between the frequency
with which people monitor their goal-setting behaviour and the efficacy of their goals.
Third, additional research needs to be conducted on the issue of goal commitment or the
degree to which people act on and/or otherwise pursue the goals that they endorse
verbally. Fourth, goal-setting researchers need to move on from studying atheoretical
questions such as “what types of goals are most effective?” to investigating the
psychological mechanisms underlying the motivational effects of goals on specific sport
skills. Finally, more longitudinal field studies are required to establish the actual goal-
setting practices of athletes and coaches over the course of a competitive season.

Practical goal-setting: the SMART approach

To be effective as a motivational technique, goal-setting should be conducted according
to sound psychological principles. These principles are encapsulated in the acronym
“SMART” (Bull, Albinson and Shambrook, 1996). The SMART approach to goal-setting
is illustrated in Box 2.7 with regard to the task of motivating oneself to exercise more
regularly (see also Chapter 8).

Box 2.7 Hie SMART approach to goal-setting (based on Bull et al.,

1996)

How can you motivate yourself to take physical exercise more regularly? One way of
achieving this goal is to use the SMART approach to goal-setting. This approach is based
on the idea that goal-setting works best when it follows certain principles that are
captured by the acronym “SMART”. The SMART approach can be applied to your
exercise behaviour as follows.
S=specific The clearer and more specific your goal is, the more likely you are to
achieve it For example, 1 want to visit the gym three times a week for the next three
months” is better than saying “I would like to become fitter in the future”.
M=measurable
If you cannot measure your progress towards your goal, then you will quickly lose
interest in it So it is important to keep a record of your progress towards your fitness
objective. For example, you could measure the length of time it takes you to run a mile
and then try to improve on it every three weeks.
A=action-related
Unless you identify a number of stepping stones (i.e., tasks which take you a step
nearer to your goal and which involve specific actions that are under your control) for
your goals, you may feel confused about what to do next. One action step is to join a gym
and a second is to get a weekly assessment of your progress from a qualified fitness
instructor.

Motivation and goal-setting in sport 59