Ask yourself three questions, not the Monty Python ones.

What? How? When? 

What do you want to do? 

How are you going to do it?

When are you going to start?

These question are simple but may just trigger a journey into  a complex series of steps towards achieving otherwise elusive goals and hidden potential. 

This path usually has to start with short term, then medium term and then the 'golden ticket', the long term goals that dreams are made of.     

SHORT TERM : Almost a daily or even hourerly process. Its the here & now of what you are doing, but its more that just a routine of simple functions to get through the day. Apart from down time & the essential switching off, short term goals should add up to many steps needed to reach the MEDIUM TERM GOALS. The famous swimmer Duncan Armstrong use to rationalise just about every daily activity or purpose with the lable of "this is going to make me swim faster" ....& it did.

MEDIUM TERM : Pretty much geared in our sport to the lead up to the next winter season cumulating with the goals of racing well in the peak of competition season, i.e. the 8-10 months build up to peak usually mid to late August, unless of course you race overseas & try to manage to peak twice per year. Could be structured around achieving an improved placing in your favorite event/category or something more abstract like improving your tecnique, fitness, skill or even ski at a new venue.

LONG TERM : The type of career defining achievements or dreams that may take a long journey to get to but has that buzz about it that makes your hair tingle. It could be a feat of excellence that almost seems unrealistic and unachievable when you first started. The first step is to think about what it could be, be honest, imagine the feeling you would have, feel the emotion, do you have a strong desire to chase this dream.  Define it, write it down and think through from where you are at now, what support & game plan do you need. Think of those medium goals you need to get there and then start with those first tentative steps to start the journey.  Over time review those goals and adjust and adapt.  You may not get there, but it could be a blast trying. In seeking goals the only failure is if you didn't try.

Keep this ulitmate goal  a secret, don't let detractors pull you down, share with only those closest to you who would understand.............From Chariots of Fire: " Examine yourselves. Let each of you discover where your true chance of greatness lies...... seize this chance, rejoice in it and let no power or persuasion deter you in your task."