01/03/2024
Well it's officially the last weekend of 2023. Are you goal-setting for 2024? I am! Goal setting is one of my favorite subjects to talk about, specifically, Outcome versus Performance goals. What's the difference, and which is more important?
Outcome goals are the goals we most often set for ourselves and our dogs, especially this time of year. They are goals that depend on a specific outcome. Such as, "I want my dog to get her RATCH," or "I want to win a Bye to the National". It's fun to set Outcome goals!
Performance goals are goals tied to a specific performance criteria. Such as, "I will stop chattering in the ring," "I will help my dog understand complex tunnels," or "I will increase my dog's drive to the rat."
Outcome goals are fine, but Performance goals should come first. Setting realistic, challenging but obtainable Performance goals lead to good Outcome goals. The hazard of setting only Outcome goals is that they can lead you to feeling like a failure, and can also cause you to actively sabotage your next Outcome goals.
Scenario 1. You have a green dog, and your Outcome goal is to get a RATN in a single weekend. First two runs go well, but the dog is showing signs of being a little stressed. Third run, the dog doesn't do the tunnel and doesn't find the rat. Now you're on the 4th run, last of the weekend, and you only need that one leg! So you go in and the dog finds the rat, but won't tunnel. You beg, you cajole, and finally resort to pretty much bellowing at your dog to tunnel, and the dog ends up tunneling. You met your Outcome! You finished your RATN! But what have you done to your dog's confidence and comfort for the tunnel and future events?
Scenario 2. Your goal is a RATCH, and your dog only needs one leg. Getting the dog to release the tube has been an issue, and you've been skating a Lack of Control call, including a couple of verbal warnings from Judges. You also tend to verbally nag your dog. You go into the ring and stay quiet. Your dog is finding rats quickly, and when you ask him to release, he's releasing and moving on. You work the ring, the dog tunnels, and you call Clear. There is one rat left on the course that you didn't find. Because your Outcome goal is RATCH, and you didn't set Performance goals, you are super disappointed. But if you had set Performance goals of "stop chatting," and "good releases," then you will have met your goals. Not getting the RATCH that run will sting far less, and you will not have sabotaged other long term goals just to get an Outcome.
So, that was a long post to read through, but what are your Performance and Outcome goals for 2024?
Mine are for Glimmer and Vila to primarily have fun. For both to get proficient and enjoy complex tunnels, Glimmer to work on stronger indications and finish CZ8B and RATS, Vila to get more comfortable in the blind and finish RATO.
Photo is Glimmer during a training session.
