| Having a soccer dream is the first step. After you've | | | | Short Term - These are between one to four |
| thought about your dream and written it down, there | | | | weeks. Short term goals really help you see how far |
| is still a lot of work to be done. Dreams can only | | | | you've come and they are easy to monitor. We will |
| take place when you work towards them. | | | | be working mostly with short and middle term goals. |
| The next step in achieving them is to learn about | | | | How many can I make? This is a great question. |
| long, middle, and short term goals. Having different | | | | When first starting out, start with only one short |
| lengths helps you monitor and keep track of them. If | | | | term and middle term goal. I believe that of them all, |
| you don't achieve your short term ones, you won't | | | | the short term goals are the most important. They |
| be on track to achieve your long term ones. | | | | keep you on track. |
| By reviewing your goals, you can monitor your | | | | Remember, you can only do one thing at a time, one |
| progress and make changes. This keeps you on track | | | | day at a time. |
| and moving towards your dreams. | | | | Outcome vs Process Outcome goals are "I will make |
| Long Term - Long term goals are typically one to | | | | the Varsity," or "I want to be team captain". They |
| two years in length. How old you are and your skill | | | | are worthwhile but you don't have 100% control |
| level will determine how long the goal is. Typically, the | | | | over the outcome. Perhaps you get hurt, or the |
| older you are and the more skilled, the longer you | | | | coach chooses a senior to be captain. You can use |
| can set goals. For most youth soccer players, six | | | | outcome goals for long term and even mid term. |
| months to a year is ideal. | | | | Process goals are the only ones you should use for |
| Middle Term - Middle Term goals are between one to | | | | short term goal setting. These focus on what and |
| six months. When you are first learning to set goals, | | | | how you are going to improve. They are exactly |
| make them shorter. It is easier to focus on them and | | | | what you need to do to get better. The secret to |
| they feel more real and important to you. Also, since | | | | making process and short term goals is to make |
| assessing them is a cruicial part of soccer goal | | | | them SMART. The next article will show you how to |
| setting, then the more practice you get the better. | | | | do that. |