To prove the point to yourself complete the following 'questionnaire':

Section A:

When did you choose to live in your present home? How did you make the choice? Do you plan to move? If so when? If not why not? When did you do decide to play sport? Or be involved in sport? When did you make your choice of your career? When did you decide to become a rugby referee?

Section B:

 How good do you want to be at refereeing rugby? When do you think you will reach your peak? When do you think you will retire from refereeing? What do you need to improve to move up the ranks? Who will work with you to help you improve? When do you hope to complete these improvements?

Section C:

 What would you call the answers to these questions? Discussion. All of the answers are your goals.

Some notes about goals.

1. It is important to have goals of varying 'length'; a season, one year, two years, five years - ten years, career.

2. Goals must meet criteria S specific M measurable A achievable R relevant T time lined

Specific; relates directly to a specific aspect of your sport. Development of strength, aerobic fitness, anaerobic fitness, flexibility, speed and acceleration; control of emotions; keeping a diary, setting goals, diet, time management.

Measurable; can you record details of your progress toward each goal? Are you able to show the percentage decrease in your 40 meter sprint time? Increase in bench press?

Achievable; even if the goal is set at a high level can you see yourself making it?

Relevant; it is necessary to work onelements which directly impact onyour refereeing ability. Some things are nice to do but will not help you as a referee. These nice things can be used as rewards as you achieve each incremental goal.

Timed; when precisely will you reach the goal? Be precise. Not next year, or next winter, or in two years, or when I am 25! But, 31 March 2002, 20 November 2003.

Goal setting is a popular theme or topic which is often included in self-improvement books. The research points in the direction that you are more likely to get there when you see yourself being successful, reaching your goal, which you have created in your mind in vivid colours, stereophonic sound, with taste and smell. No iron clad guarantees, but be aware that we are the result of what we think we are and what we think we are capable of achieving.

Should you not reach all of your written goals you will, all the same, arrive at a destination which is part of your compendium of goals anyway. So why not orchestrate and programme yourself? Get to where you want to go. Be where you want to be. Do this with SMART Goals.

Some examples of goals for Rugby referees:

• By 31 March 2002 my 40 metre sprint will be 5.35 seconds.

• In the 2001 season I will pass with honours my Theory examination.

• By the end of the 2002 season I will be nominated for the I.R.B panel.

• I will be selected for the 2003 R.W.C.

• I will referee well in the 2003 R.W.C.

• My assessment rating for 2002 will average 88.0.

• I will decrease my critical incidents by 50 per cent.

I am reminded of an interview given by Andre Aggassi on the television program 60 Minutes in the mid-90's. Two of his comments included, 'When I am on the court playing tennis there is no where else that I would rather be.'. When asked about whether he was affected by the noise of the crowd he replied that the only thing that was in focus was the ball!