The year is 2019. All is (relatively) calm. You know exactly when you'll be skating next, you've got the information for your next competition or show, and you're working towards your goals in skating. Parents are in their routine schedules of dropping kids off at practice and watching lessons, and all is well in the world.
The rest is history.
To say that 2020 and 2021 have been weird years would be an understatement. And if you (and/or your skater) are anything like I was as a skater, this leaves you sitting on the floor, sifting through pictures of the good old days, wondering if all is lost.
The good news is, we're closer than ever to freedom. With vaccines rolling out in mass quantities and people becoming more comfortable, hopefully our world (and rinks) will be back to normal in no time (fingers and toes crossed).
Unfortunately, every skater I know is currently in the process of picking up the pieces of their shattered dreams and trying to figure out how to move forward from here. When life as you knew it is a thing of the past, setting new goals can seem impossible.
That's why I'm here. For all skaters, parents, and lost souls to figure out what the heck to do now. For children under 13 or so, this might be a complicated exercise that will require adult translation. But it's a really fun way to get to know your kids on a much deeper level.
Let's do this.
Step 1: Find Out What Kind of Person You Are
Goal-setting can be a quick, simple thing. If you're looking for that, skip to step 3. But if you want to make goals based on knowledge that is literally going to change your life, just trust me and start here.
Especially when confronted with catastrophic events, research shows that the human personality is a changing construct. This website allows you to not only discover what your personality is like in the Myers-Briggs metrics, but it also allows you to explore each of the 16 personality types in depth to discover the strengths, weaknesses, career paths, compatibility, and other facets of your personality. Keep in mind, though, that there are a million types of free Myers-Briggs tests out there- so if you want an absolute, definitive answer, I recommend you complete another one and average the results.
Step 2: Get to Know Your Values & Priorities
Many of us aren't the same people we were when this whole fiasco started over a year ago. To decide what your goals are now, you first have to know who you are now. I've created a custom worksheet that is a great place to start. In order to prioritize your life, you first need to know what is truly important to you. Click the image below to download my workbook for free.
Step 3: Set Your Skating Goals
You've now got all the tools, so get our an old-fashioned piece of paper and let's do some goal-setting.
Question 1: What are the values you associate with skating?
For some, skating might be special because it's a fun way to be physically active. Others dream of competing for the fame or recognition. Still, others skate to learn a new skill or to simply get as good as they can be. What is it that you (or your skater) love about skating? Is it the opportunity to challenge yourself among competitors? To earn recognition or awards? Or is it a deeply personal motivation? Most people will have a combination of reasons they take to the ice. Write them all down.
Question 2: What end-goal would be the most amazing way to fulfill what skating means to you?
For example, if your goal is to be at the Olympics, your ultimate goal might be "to win an Olympic gold medal". If your reason for skating was to learn a new skill, your ultimate goal might be "to test through ISI Freestyle 10". For others, the goal might be as simple as "to just keep enjoying skating until I'm 60." No goal is too big or too little.
Question 3: How can we break your ultimate skating goal down into a S.M.A.R.T. goal?
Time to translate. If you've never heard of SMART goals before, welcome. Read here. We're going to take our ultimate skating goal and break it down a bit- into something Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
Question 4: Let's backtrack. What can I do each year for the next 5 years to make sure I'm on track with my ultimate goal?
If you're aiming to reach ISI Freestyle 10, maybe each year your goal will be to pass two Freestyle tests. If you're aiming for the Olympics, your goals might be to compete at Sectionals, Regionals, etc.
Question 5: Backtracking even more, what is something you can do this year to come closer to your ultimate goal? Each month?
This is also where you can look at your schedule and divvy up the time- how many hours a week can you (or are you willing to) devote to the ice? Off-ice conditioning? Structuring your schedule around these constants can make life quite a bit simpler.
You get the idea. After finishing these exercises, you'll feel not only better about your skating goals, but life in general. It's been a crazy year and a half, but hopefully, we'll be back to normal in no time. Until then, stay sane.
