Importance of goal setting: Benefits of types of goal setting.

The idea

Goal setting is a psychological strategy that directs attention, sustains effort and gives performers a measurable target. Outcome goals focus on a result such as winning a race, so they can motivate strongly but depend partly on opponents and officials, which the performer cannot control. Performance related goals target personal standards, for example improving a 100 m personal best from 13.2 s to 12.9 s, so progress is measurable against the performer's own previous data. Process goals target technique or tactics, such as keeping the elbow high during a badminton overhead clear, and are fully within the performer's control. Benefits therefore include clearer focus, raised persistence, reduced anxiety when controllable goals are used, and better feedback for a coach.

What earns the marks

• Outcome goals are defined by a result or placing, such as winning a final or finishing in the top three, and can raise motivation and effort.
• Performance related goals are defined against the performer's own previous standard, such as a time, distance or score, so success does not depend on opponents.
• Process goals are defined by technique, tactics or behaviour, such as a specific body position or decision, and are the most directly controllable type.
• A benefit of goal setting is that it directs attention to relevant cues and reduces distraction from irrelevant ones.
• Goal setting can increase persistence and effort because progress towards a measurable target is visible.
• Controllable process and performance goals can reduce anxiety and protect confidence when results go against the performer.
• Goals give the coach and performer objective feedback for reviewing training and adjusting the programme.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating an outcome goal as fully controllable.

  Put it right: Winning depends on opponents and conditions, so it is only partly controllable.

• Assuming all goal types are equally useful in every situation.

  Put it right: Process goals suit skill learning and performance goals suit measurable improvement, while outcome goals suit competition motivation.

• Confusing a performance goal with an outcome goal.

  Put it right: A performance goal compares the performer with their own previous standard, not with other competitors.

• Believing that setting any goal automatically improves performance.

  Put it right: Goals work best when specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, and when the performer accepts them.

Exam tips

• Read the stem carefully to identify whether the goal described is about a result, a personal standard or a technique, then match the benefit to that type.
• Eliminate options that describe a benefit belonging to a different goal type, such as claiming a process goal guarantees a win.
• Where two options look similar, choose the one that names a psychological mechanism such as attention, persistence, anxiety control or feedback.