Dream Big

   I love a good story and lately I’ve been inspired by BIG achievements. 

   For instance, Diana Nyad’s 35-year pursuit of her dream to swim unassisted from Cuba to Florida is an amazing testament to persistence, drive and focus. Or, Elena Della Donne awarded the WNBA Rookie of the Year after a very challenging road to the pros that required her to make incredible athletic sacrifices in order to manage her personal life. She persisted and made it to the big time.

   When it comes to setting and achieving your BIG goals (e.g., making the varsity team, winning a big tournament or earning an athletic scholarship), it’s imperative that you answer the following questions honestly. Reflect on the following and write your responses: 

 – What do you want?

 – How much do you want it?

 – How much do you believe in your ability to achieve the goal?

 – What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve the goal?

   It’s fair to say that Nyad wanted to achieve her goal and BELIEVED she could accomplish it. She was willing to sacrifice years of training, pain and suffering to continue to try. Elena gave up basketball (at UConn!) in order to stay close to home, even switched sports but ultimately found her way back to basketball. Your persistence will also be tested along the way, probably in ways you don’t anticipate and it will make a BIG impact on the outcome. 

   Don’t forget the most important pieces of the achievement puzzle. Any good goal plan is made up mostly of performance goals — the “how to” goals that lead you toward your BIG achievements. 

   Dream big and work smart.

GET MENTAL BY: ERIKA CARLSON 

Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer and owner of Excellence in Sport Performance in Pleasanton.