Goal setting for success

Setting goals is daunting, because there’s an inevitable fear of what happens if you don’t meet the challenges you set for yourself. It took me a long time to overcome that. In fact, it wasn’t until the start of the 2019 tennis tour that I had the courage to write any goals down. I still remember them, too.

I want to beat Simona Halep.

I want to beat Petra Kvitova.

I want to beat Caroline Wozniacki.

I want to be ranked in the top 10 players in the world.?

It felt strange at first to scribble such specific desires down on the page of a notebook, but I was able to do it because I unlocked an important distinction: a goal is not an expectation. The line between those two was blurry for me for far too long, but I began to understand that you can say out loud “I want to win a grand slam”, and there is no issue if you don’t, because it’s not an expectation. Finding that kind of simple clarity made setting goals fun, and I began to meet them.

I beat Simona. I beat Petra. I was ranked in the top 10. And even when I failed - against Wozniacki in Madrid, for example - my goals gave me a sense of accountability paired with opportunity. All I could think about after the loss in Madrid was when I would get my next shot at Woz - my next chance to achieve that goal. My goals therefore created their own excitement, and started to become attitudinal and emotional, too.

I want to compete.

I want to play carefree tennis.

I want to get the most out of every training session.

My team used to talk a lot about how the world works for you, not against you. The idea being that when you put your dreams and aspirations and goals out into the universe – and say them out loud – they have a funny way of coming around and helping you get where you want to go. At the beginning of 2021 I wrote two words at the top of my notebook - “Win Wimbledon” - and to this day I believe that inscribing it there in blue biro – vocalising a dream that had previously not dared speak its name – ultimately played a part in holding that trophy up.?

Do I write down my goals anymore? Not as much. This year was probably the first time since 2018 that I didn’t sketch out any firm, specific hopes, but I still go that process in my mind, all the time. I still wonder what I want for myself and my family and friends.

Because that’s how goals are formed - by asking yourself a set of questions that have nothing do with prizes and recognition, but rather about what gets you out of bed every day. Try it for yourself. Give it a go.

What lights you up? What keeps you curious? What gives you energy? What do you want?

Whatever your answers, those are your goals. Go get ‘em.