Goal setting is the foundation of everything I do—it shapes my training, keeps me disciplined, and fuels my success. Whether you're focused on your next match, making a national team, or trying to master a new technique, setting strong, vivid goals is the key to unlocking your potential.
1. GOALS HELP YOU CREATE AN EFFECTIVE TRAINING PLAN
Every year, I create a training and competition plan. This includes when and where I will compete, my strength training plan, recovery periods, and details of all the training sessions and focus areas for the year. The most important aspect of this plan is knowing my biggest goals so I can work backward to create the best path forward. For instance, in 2025, my goals are to make the Senior World Team and win the World Championships. With these goals in mind, I can structure everything else to ensure I’m most prepared when those moments come.
2. GOALS KEEP YOU DISCIPLINED
I moved to the Olympic Training Center during my senior year of high school. It was the first time I had ever been away from my parents and living on my own. Many wrestlers before me had also moved to the OTC, but it ended up hurting their progress. Instead of taking advantage of all the amazing resources to improve, some chose to party and waste their time. I was determined to improve as much as possible during my time there. As soon as I moved in, I bought a notebook and pen and started writing down my goals every morning and evening. This kept me disciplined and constantly reminded me why I was there.
3. GOALS MAKE YOU RELENTLESS
The more vivid and real a goal is in my mind, the more relentless and enthusiastic I become in chasing it.
One of my favorite examples of this is Florence Chadwick.
Florence Chadwick once attempted to swim 26 miles from the California coastline to the Catalina Islands. After 15 hours of swimming, a thick fog rolled in, making it impossible for her to see clearly. She pushed on for a little while longer but eventually quit, only to find out she was just a mile from the shoreline. Two months later, she attempted the swim again and succeeded, keeping an image of the shore in her mind the entire time.
