Written by Education and training are extremely important. There are so many different trainings and reasons for the education, many times it is a requirement for working for a company, being a coach or athlete on a team, or as a student, teacher, or professor at an educational institution, and other times the training or education is taken is for your own personal or professional growth. In sports, there are so many trainings and courses available: From keeping athletes safe, tactics, or rule changes, to team policies, or a litany of training that HR makes you take. For any of the reasons that you may be partaking in training, “Begin with the end in mind”, (Covey, 1989). This powerful statement is as true in education and training as it is in any other area of life. When embarking on a course or training, it’s essential to understand your motivations and goals, your ‘why’.
Knowing Your ‘Why’
Knowing your ‘why’ is about understanding the reasons behind your decision to undertake a course. Like I stated before, it could be professional development, personal growth, or a mix of both. Your ‘why’ is what motivates you to keep going when the course becomes challenging. It’s the driving force that fuels your commitment and perseverance. Students who have a clear understanding of their ‘why’ are more engaged, more persistent, and ultimately more successful in their courses (Artino & Stephens, 2018).
Setting Clear Goals
Your ‘why’ is closely tied to your goals for the course or training. By knowing what you hope to achieve, you can set clear, actionable goals. These goals serve as a roadmap, guiding your learning journey. But you may ask, what if I am required to attend training and I do not want to attend the training? If you are required to attend, you could just doze off and not care, or you could create a goal to learn one piece of new information so it adds value to your time that was spent in a course or training session. Setting clear, challenging goals leads to higher performance among students, and understanding your ‘why’ and setting corresponding goals are key to successful learning (Locke & Latham, 2021).
Fostering Accountability
When you understand your ‘why’, it fosters accountability. By acknowledging and communicating your reasons for undertaking a course, you make a commitment to yourself and others. This commitment can motivate you to stay the course when challenges arise. Students who share their ‘why’ with others are more likely to stay committed to their training (Grant, et al., 2020). The act of sharing creates a sense of accountability, which helps to maintain motivation.
Conclusion
Understanding your ‘why’ – your reasons for undertaking a course or training – is crucial. It fuels your motivation, guides your goal-setting, and fosters accountability. As you embark on any learning journey, take the time to reflect on your ‘why’. And if you cannot find any other ‘why’, remember that you expect your athletes to come to practice or training all of the time with a great attitude, give 100%, and be willing to learn…Maybe that expectation should be the same for yourself, not only attending courses and training, but also in the pursuit of your own personal and professional development.
References
Artino, A. R., Jr., & Stephens, J. M. (2018). Academic motivation and self-regulation: A comparative analysis of undergraduate and graduate students learning online. Internet and Higher Education, 13(3), 146-151.
Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. Simon and Schuster.
Grant, A. M., Christianson, M. K., & Price, R. H. (2020). Happiness, health, or relationships? Managerial practices and employee well-being tradeoffs. Academy of Management Perspectives, 24(3), 51-63.
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2021). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705-717.