“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson

Although enthusiasm and determination are commendable, it may be unrealistic to change multiple habits and aspects of your life at one time.

Improving your football techniques and football mental toughness can consist of multiple goals.

Focusing on one behavior at a time helps devote your time and energy to your most important challenges.

Goal setting is a process that needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.

In other words, be sure your goals are S.M.A.R.T.

What separates a person from achieving their goals and not achieving their goals is staying focused and being persistent in following through.

There are many different ways to track your progress toward your goals. Below are the top three of them.

Look at the big picture – This is the foundation of keeping track of your progress and also accomplishing your goals. A lot of us just go through the motions day-to-day. We are on pure “survival mode” rather than living each day to its fullest. In order for you to start tracking your progress, you must take a step back and look at the big picture. Why do you do what you do? What is the purpose of waking up in the morning and getting the day started? Think about these things and answer these questions with the end result in mind. Where do you see yourself in the future in every aspect of your life? Take the time to reflect upon your overall vision and imagine what the big picture looks like. It’s important for you to see the bigger picture rather than just living day-to-day with no direction or motivation.

Plan and Organize – When it comes to tracking your progress toward your goals, planning and organizing your time is key to accomplishing your goals. Once you are clear with the big picture, you must now plan and organize the necessary steps that you need to take in order to accomplish your goals. Take your calendar and plan on organizing your time around achieving all your goals. Having a planner or using your iPhone or Google calendar is a great way to track your progress. Each week you will have specific goals that you want to accomplish. Throughout each week, you will have a To-Do list that you will work on every day. When you are able to plan and organize your time wisely, you will not only feel good that you are working toward your goals but you are also developing life skills such as self-discipline, focus and determination.

Celebrate – With each accomplishment, it’s important for you to take a step back and celebrate your success. If you are constantly looking ahead and never taking the time to celebrate your accomplishments, you will most likely get burnt out. When you get burnt out, you lose your football confidence and motivation to stay focused on your goals. Celebrating your accomplishments is a way for you to track your progress toward your goals because you are able to stop and appreciate your hard work before moving onto your next goal. Whenever you accomplish a goal, make sure you take the time to celebrate.

Finally, your goal-setting can only be effective if you make your goals crystal clear. Know where you want to go in today’s competitive football mental game.

Make actionable steps to get there.

Keep yourself primed with a positive football mindset.

Go forth and conquer!

*Download the free mental game assessment and get started on Improving your Mental Game in Football