Goal Setting to Win may KEEP you from the Crown

With Miss Texas quickly approaching, I thought this article written by Heather Sumlin last year would be great to post for all of our Pageant clients. But this article also teaches a life lesson beyond Pageantry. Particularly, I think all of the recent grads, whether High School, College or Grad School, could find value in this article.

As a student graduating from college in August, I have really noticed that we goal set to GET our dream job. When we are sitting there at an interview our focus is entirely on getting the job, but that isn't something that you can control. The same applies to High School students applying for colleges. They are goal-setting to get into a particular program and their focus is pulled in the wrong direction during their interviews or try-outs. In this article, Heather points out how this thought process can be a dangerous one and why we should goal set for things we CAN control. Read on and find out how to put your mind in the right place for job or college interviews and try-outs!

Mackenzie Michel
Public Relations Intern
mackenzie@mentalmanagement.com

Goal Setting to Win may KEEP you from the Crown

Working with pageant contestants over the past several years I have noticed many contestants goal set and focus on winning. I'm not against focusing on winning and preparing to win a pageant but I believe goals should be set for things you can control. Pageant results are determined by a panel of judges and their perception of the contestants. The judges hold the control over who wins, the contestant is not in control. To goal set for something you cannot control is a scary place to be. No matter how well you perform on competition day, if the judges find someone else they like better, the crown could be set on someone else's head and you will be left with a dream unrealized.

So what should you do? What should you goal set for if you are a pageant contestant? Obviously you should desire to win, you should prepare to win, you should focus on getting the job but if you goal set solely to win the title you add pressure that is likely to pull your focus on competition day. If your goal is to win the pageant then your thoughts on competition day will probably be on the crown, the title, winning, how important the end result is to you, etc. Your thoughts will be focused on outcome, something that is out of your hands. Focusing on outcome will add pressure to you and most likely lead to over-trying. When you over-try your ability to perform at your best is reduced which will make it less likely you can reach your goal to win.

So goal set for something you can control! You can control what you think about on competition day. You can control your individual performance in each phase of competition. You can control your response to your environment. Focus should NOT be on winning the day of competition and therefore your goal on competition day should be on something that keeps you from focusing on winning. Focus on process, not outcome to have the best result.

Pageants are truly about self improvement. Everything you do to prepare for pageant competition will help later on in life. In order to sell yourself in interview, you have to know yourself and be able to give your judges reasons to remember you. In order to have a great swimsuit figure, you have to train hard, be healthy and eat right. In order to do well in talent you have to train in your craft, perform for others and improve your ability to spread emotion through performance. In evening gown you learn how to be poised, graceful and beautiful. On-Stage question forces you to think on your feet, speak for an audience without hesitation and show personality. All of these things help you to become a better YOU and many times give you an edge in other things you pursue in your life after your pageant days have ended. My ability to do my job today well is partly due to what I learned through years of participating in pageants.

Maybe your focus should be on learning from the competitive experience so that you can grow into the women you want to become.

Good Luck in 2011! If you need help identifying what your goals for this year should be please give me a call!

Heather Sumlin
972-899-9640
heather@mentalmanagement.com

For more information on how Mental Management Systems can help you go to www.mentalmanagement.com