The Power of Setting Goals

I believe in the power of setting goals. I believe that all goals are achievable. I believe that visualizing a goal makes it that much more accomplishable.

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in October, I found myself depressed and discouraged. I had just finished a morning basketball game with another performance that just did not live up to my standards. The car ride home from this game was awful. Just thirty minutes of silence with my dad and I expressing the same feeling on our faces, disappointment. Needless to say, I was not in the mood to think about my future in basketball. When I got home I decided to clear my mind by taking a nap. However, I found more comfort through a talk with my dad early that afternoon.

He told me that every player goes through a slump, but what shows his true character is how he bounces back from adversity. I took this message to heart, and realized that it was time to do something to help me step up. If I have a dream to play college basketball, it was time I started acting like it and believing in it. I needed to always be thinking about achieving that goal.

After I talked with my dad, I decided to do something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I sat down in my room, pen and paper in hand, and wrote down my goals for the next four years. The list not only showed what I wanted to accomplish on the basketball court, but also my goals as a student and a person. My final goal that I wrote down was to play college basketball. To tell the truth, I don’t care if I have to go to Alaska to do it.

Writing those goals down on a piece of paper helped me to key in on what I really wanted to do with my life. Now whenever I walk into my room, I see two filled up sheets of paper scribbled with blue ink. Yet, these words go way beyond the paper. They strike a memory of that October day, and of the goal I am confident I can achieve. Recently, I’ve been able to add a few checks to my freshman year goals including making the JV basketball team and maintaining a high GPA, two things that were very high on my list.

Sometimes before I go to sleep, I dream of these goals and visualize myself accomplishing them. As long as I can stay focused and dedicated not only to basketball, but to my education and to being a good person in general, I know I can reach my goal.

There is one more thing I thought I should mention. I had my best game of the season later that afternoon.