Motivation and goal-setting to achieve your black belt.

Finding motivation to train or stick with exercise learn and attend classes on a regular basis isn’t always easy. Demanding schedules, burn-out, and illness are just a few of the things that may interrupt your routine. However, sometimes motivation can be found by following a very simple formula. Goal setting based upon the S.M.A.R.T. approach, is a simple technique that provides structure for your training program. Use this formula to set both short and long-term training goals.

Black belt ceremony at the Hung Sing Martial Arts School.

The S.M.A.R.T. principle.

Set (S) specific goals.

Research shows that specific goals are the most motivating. A specific goal maybe to reduce the time it takes to practice all your forms for black belt by 10 mins within 3 months. Many people just say they want to get faster at there forms, but this goal is far too general to really motivate you in your training.

Set (M) Measurable Goals. 

Simply saying that you want to get faster is not enough detail. You need to be able to chart and document progress toward your goal. One way to measure your progress is to document your performance at set intervals. In the above example you could video your forms to black belt once a week so you have a good measurement of time and quality. 

Set (A) Adjustable Goals. 

This means your goals are flexible enough to accommodate unexpected challenges without becoming obsolete. An injury may force your to modify your goal. If you injure your hand and cant hold a weapon, you can just work on the hand forms speeding them up. You could also practice your weapon forms with in imaginary weapon so you maintain the improvement you have already achieved.  An injury doesn’t need to mean you abandon all your plans.

Set (R) Realistic Goals. 

Start where you are, and increase your goals accordingly. For example; if you reached your black belt 3 years ago and have had time out, a realistic goal would be to re-learn each form one at a time starting from the easiest and following the syllabus. While your long-term goal maybe feeling your like a black belt again, in the short-term you should work your way through the grading syllabus. Every month try to move up a grade until your back to the black belt level again. This sort of progression is healthy and realistic. Also, keep in mind that as you become more and more fit and near your full potential this continued improvement can be maintained.  If you keep this momentum going by setting new goals you can reach levels beyond the black belt. If your goals are to simple, you will feel less satisfaction when you reach them. Only you truly know what is realistic for you.

Set (T) Time-based Goals. 

Look again at the first example: “reduce the time it takes to practice all your forms for black belt by 10 mins within 3 months”. This is specific and time-based. Without a time line there is a tendency to procrastinate or get bored. You may also need to set interim goals with shorter timelines to keep you on track. Consider recording and improving the time of forms individually. Assign your individual goal with a shorter timeline. In general, goals that stretch out beyond 6 months are too long to keep you interested and motivated. Try to re-evaluate your goals every 2-3 months.

Goal setting is an art as well as a science, but if you make sure your goals follow the S.M.A.R.T. formula, you will find you are more likely to stay motivated and reach goal after goal.