Running a marathon is incredibly tough to both train for and complete, and the vast majority of people need a strong motivation to endure the training and the race. This article will look at how motivation and goal-setting are connected, give you some simple tips on how you can set goals and keep the motivation to train and complete Oslo Marathon.
Psychologist in Dr.Dropin Rebecca Holck explains how goals are linked to motivation: setting good goals is important for maintaining motivation, while motivation is affected by the quality of your goals. She says that your motivation greatly influences the initiation, implementation and quality of what you set yourself as a goal for.
When it comes to goal setting, there are a couple of traps you can fall into, either that you become too eager and set yourself too big goals, or that you become too relaxed about your goal setting, and push it. If you go too hard and set yourself too big goals, it is easy to get tired of the training, lose motivation or get injured.
Do you feel the need for coaching or a conversation ahead of the marathon to train more on motivation? Our psychologists are here for you.
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Rebecca further explains that we can distinguish between two different types of goals:
1. Learning goals - which are so-called internal goals that are often about yourself and your own growth, and
2. Performance targets – which are about outcomes and things that can be observed by others, such as placing in a competition.
Performance in connection with the marathon will be important for many. But - too much focus on performance-oriented goals can actually lead to avoidance and a feeling of lack of control. Finding a balance between the two types is therefore important.
At the same time, Rebecca recommends not only setting several goals, but also distinguishing between different types of goals. These are, for example, overall, feasible and concrete goals
These goals can often be a bit hairy, which should be able to push you a little extra.
These are slightly smaller goals, which should create a sense of mastery and enjoyment for continuing the good routines.
These are easily measurable goals, so you can clearly see whether you have reached the goals or not.
When you have set your goals, it can also be useful to write them down, or share them with someone you trust, so that you hold yourself somewhat accountable.
And remember - goals can be adjusted along the way. Either if you have set goals that are a little too mild and easy, or if you feel that what you have decided on is not entirely feasible. The most important thing here is that you should have fun and get a good workout.
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