By Olivier Poirier-Leroy on SwimSwam
“Every year since I have been swimming competitively, I have set goals for myself. In writing. The goal sheet was mandatory. I got used to it and it became a habit.” – Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps, certified GOAT, wasn’t just an elite athlete. He was also an elite goal setter.
He had them written out, bedside, so that when he woke up for another big day of swim training, another day of doubles, he knew why.
Writing out your goals flat-out works.
It’s not just about having ambition in the water—that’s the easy part. Most swimmers want to go faster, smash more PBs, qualify for teams/cuts/bigger meets. But what separates the daydreams from the podium finishes is giving that ambition direction.
And that’s where writing out your goals provides a crucial first step in giving swimmers structure, clarity, and momentum.
Let’s breakdown why writing out those fancy-pants goals of yours is the first step in achieving Big ThingsTM in the pool.
1. Clarifies the Big Goal
We all have vague daydreams and fantasies about the things we would like to achieve in the water.
I want to final at Nationals. I want to drop time like an age grouper again. I want to close out the meet-winning relay for my team with a golden finish.
But until those goals are clearly defined and written out, they remain fuzzy and foggy, like an unchlorinated outdoor pool on the first day of public swim.
Writing out your goal(s) forces clarity. What exactly are you trying to do? By when? Under what conditions?
Instead of wandering, decide where you want to go.
“I have my goals somewhere I can see them, so when I get out of bed I know I’m waking up to work on what I’m trying to achieve.” – Michael Phelps2. Motivates action
Writing out the goal is the first (easy) step. It’s what happens next that is the magic sauce.
Building a process for success. Executing. Showing up daily. Especially on days when you aren’t feeling so motivated to head to the pool.
Those written goals give you a sense of urgency that leads to action. They are a daily reminder to the CPU between your ears: This is what we’re doing. This is what matters.
The process and daily action are what propel the success, but the written goal is your north star, guiding the behaviors and actions necessary for excellence.
3. Filters the noise
Each day we are presented with a buffet of things to work on (or not). Technique. Cannonball skills. Underwaters. Race pace. Dryland. Doubts. Distractions.
Without a clear, written goal, it’s easy to bounce around aimlessly and lose focus when things get tough.
See also: 8 Goal Setting Tips for SwimmersWritten goals sharpen your focus and filter the noise so that you stay focused on what matters most.
4. Gives us milestones
Swimming is a hard, unforgiving sport. Even harder when we aren’t seeing progress. Nothing quite saps our motivation faster than a plateau (coach adding another round to a long main set is a close second).
Written goals allow you to break up the Big Goal into smaller milestones. Each one you hit gives you a shot of confidence, not only in the real-world proof of your ability to follow through, but of real progress.
Short term goals and the milestones they represent are crucial for reminding us that we are actually making progress, even when it doesn’t always feel like it.
5. Boosts chances of success
And of course, writing out your goals can improve your chances of actually achieving them!
In a study by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University found that individuals who wrote down their goals were significantly more likely to achieve them compared to those who merely thought about them.
Writing them down makes them real. It creates commitment. It signals to your brain: This is what I do!
Wrapping Things Up
Dreaming big goals in the water is fun. It’s easy. It’s safe. But if you want to pull those dreams out of the fog, you should consider doing what Phelps did…
Write it down.
Put it somewhere visible. Revisit it. Adjust as necessary. But put your goal front and center.
So take five minutes today. Grab a pen, open your logbook, and write out what you want from this sport. It might just be the spark that turns your next dream into your next personal best.
ABOUT OLIVIER POIRIER-LEROY
Olivier Poirier-Leroy is a former national-level swimmer. He’s the publisher of YourSwimBook, a ten-month logbook for competitive swimmers.
He’s also the author of the recently published mental training workbook for competitive swimmers, Conquer the Pool: The Swimmer’s Ultimate Guide to a High-Performance Mindset.
It combines sport psychology research, worksheets, anecdotes, and examples of Olympians past and present to give swimmers everything they need to conquer the mental side of the sport.
Ready to take your mindset to the next level?
Click here to learn more about Conquer the Pool.
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