“Set your goals high and don’t stop until you get there.”- Bo Jackson

Former dual-sport athlete Bo Jackson knows all about the value of setting goals and emphasizing goal evaluation in order to achieve the football mental toughness needed for on-the field success.

As both a former professional football player and a professional baseball player, a strong football mental game and a strong baseball mental game were required in order to reach the goals he set forth for each respective sport. As a bruising running back, Bo Jackson’s football mind was considered as swift and sharp as his powerful baseball swing.

The changing of the game and the necessity of well-tuned football minds required that Jackson utilize goal setting to help him actualize success in two sports. For football specifically, his mental preparation for football centered around building tangible goals to work towards, and using those goals as guidelines to maintain a powerful sense of football confidence.

Psychology in football isn’t just an exercise in mental might and focus – it is as much about committing to real goals as it is to believing in one’s self.
Both football psychology and the sports psychology used for football deal with goal setting as a means to achieve ongoing game day success.

Mental Game Coaches and modern football psychology articles highlight the everlasting importance of establishing sports goals to commit to either as an individual or as part of a team.

The SMART system of goal setting is a great sports psychology tool for football, as it outlines the most effective means to establish goals that are comprised of 5 key elements:

Specific – define a specific goal that can be worked towards, whether it is running through each practice without any setbacks, or nailing five straight field goal kicks in a row, be as specific as the results you are striving to achieve.

Measurable – Make sure that the goal(s) being established can be measured in terms of their success, or lack thereof. This ensures that you can evaluate your goals and improve upon them if need be.

Attainable – Goals that can be achieved are goals that are within reach but require focus, effort and resolve in order to see them come to fruition.

Realistic/Relevant – Make sure that the goals you establish are not only realistic, but relevant to the larger, all-encompassing goal of success in whatever it is that you are working towards.

Time-based – Make sure you have a way to measure your goals and the effectiveness of your goals. For instance, take a week or two to commit to your goals after setting up your SMART plan and then evaluate the plan to see if you have achieved the success you so desired or whether some further work or goal modification is required.

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