The dreaded cancellations.

By iNSPIRE Sport

 

The Olympics are going ahead… then they are postponed… then they are cancelled… and now they are back on – this is something all of us have been witnessing via the media for the last year. For Olympic hopefuls, this is surely a very frustrating process and one that accommodates anxiety. However, it is not just Olympic level athletes that are facing the dreaded cancellations – you might be as well. 

 

With constantly changing border restrictions and even snap lockdowns following small outbreaks, it might be hard to imagine a normal competition season going ahead. And understandably, this uncertainty causes feelings of anxiety and even frustration. While athletes are very intrinsically motivated, external factors and goals including competitions can dramatically change how motivated you are when getting up early in the morning or pushing through to late at night at training. 

 

It may seem like we often write about goal setting, which we do – but there is good reasoning for that. 

 

Write out your goals – don’t just say them

 

Studies have shown that writing down your goals actually increases your chances of achieving them! Below is a direct quote from Forbes on the power of writing our your goals!

 

“Vividly describing your goals in written form is strongly associated with goal success, and people who very vividly describe or picture their goals are anywhere from 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to successfully accomplish their goals.”

 

Set goals that do not rely on competitions

 

Goals that surround an event or competition can be highly motivating and help push you to work harder. While you should continue to set these goals, try your best to set goals around training and personal achievements in the case that competition season falls through. In Australia, we are in a fortunate position that allows optimism surrounding comps due to our effective COVID response. However we are not immune to snap lockdowns as seen in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and now WA.

 

For international level athletes, this period of time can be even more challenging as the possibility of travelling to compete and return safely is thin.

 

Some goal ideas could include a certain amount of new skills over a period of time, enjoying training and having more fun or even being a better teammate.

 

Read our blog on finding motivation in a COVID-19 world here.

 

Change your self talk and make a PLAN

 

Following a disappointment such as an event cancellation, it can be all too easy to fall into a cycle of negative self talk. Check out Reach Out Australia’s article on 3 ways to talk yourself up – there is some great advice in there!

 

You can find more tips like these on the iNSPIRE Sport app – see for yourself via the links below.