Want to Get Faster In the Pool? Just Decide.

The other day in practice we did a set of 4 x (200IM, 4 50’s alternate back, breast). I descended the 200IM’s. The last 200IM I swam a 2:27, which was 1 second faster than my IM time 4 years ago off the blocks in a meet.

Making a decision is the first step to achieve your goals

I’m convinced that I’m swimming fast today (for me) because of a decision I made last August.

I DECIDED that I was going to swim fast as a 49 year old. I want to be swimming at my optimal ability when I turn 50 and age up into the next age group. I want to see if I can swim my best high school times again.

So I made a decision I was going to swim fast as a 49 year old (my birthday is in 15 days) and some interesting things happened.

In the last 4 months I:

• Signed up to swim with the Polar Bear Masters Swim Team at Bowdoin College.
• Averaged 5 days a week of practice
• Worked on improving my technique
• Sought out advice from my coaches and peers
• Stretched every day
• Gave up alcohol
• Started seeing a chiropractor
• Am feeling great in the water
• Am swimming fast in practice and in meets

I’m convinced I’m swimming fast again because I made a decision to do it. That decision led me to take positive action to achieve my goal of swimming fast.

In the past I’ve always set goals to improve myself. Like eating healthier, being more successful with work, being more flexible, etc. I haven’t always hit the goals I’ve set for myself.

It’s January 2nd today. If you’re like me, then you’ve probably set New Year’s Resolutions. One definition of resolution is “A firm decision to do or not do something”.

For my 2017 resolutions I have a secret weapon. It’s helped me with swimming and now I’m going to utilize it with my other goals and resolutions.

I’m going to DECIDE.

What strategies do you use to achieve your goals? Please feel free to comment below!