Building Speed with SMART Goals, Habits, and a Winning Mindset

What’s good people!

Welcome to today’s Speed Brief, where we dive into the essentials of athletic performance, helping you run faster, train smarter, and stay injury-free.

But first, I gotta mention this: did you catch the 100m race between pole vault king Armand Duplantis and 400m hurdles champ Karsten Warholm at the Zurich Diamond League? (Both of them took gold in their events at the Paris Olympics by the way). Duplantis, the guy known for flying over a bar 6 meters in the air, clocked 10.37 seconds in a sprint. He’s out here reminding us that athletes from all disciplines are total beasts! It’s not every day you see a pole vaulter taking on a 100m, but it just goes to show how versatile top athletes can be.

You gotta check it out: Mondo Dupantis vs Karsten Warholm 100m

I’m all for more “grudge match” events like this! Reminds me of days in the playground at school for bragging rights.

Anyway, let’s crack on with today’s newsletter.

In today’s newsletter:

• On Your Marks: We’ll explore how top sprinters are still competing after the Paris Olympics. What keeps them going after such highs and lows?

• Set: We’ll break down the science behind motivation—why it’s powerful, but not enough by itself—and how you can build a mindset that keeps you progressing long after the excitement fades.

• Go: I’ll give you a practical routine to help you set up a sustainable speed improvement plan, with focus on creating habits that stick, even on the tough days.

🏁 On Your Marks: Motivation to Keep Going After Major Highs and Lows

I’ve been keeping up with the Diamond League events to get my athletics fix since the Olympics wrapped up, and it’s got me thinking—what does it take to get back on the track and compete after the climax of a four-year cycle? I mean, imagine your life goal is to win an Olympic medal, and you either achieve it or just miss out. Then, just weeks later, you're back out there racing, whether you're riding the high of a career-defining moment or recovering from the disappointment of falling short.

Take Letsile Tebogo, for example. He crushed the 200m in Zurich, beating a world-class field. Or Sha'Carri Richardson, who turned the tables after a tough Olympic campaign to win the 100m in Zurich against her Olympic rival Julien Alfred. These athletes showed up when it mattered, but what really struck me was the resilience it took for them to come back so soon after the biggest stage in the world.

But this isn’t just about elite athletes. Sure, they’ve got the discipline and mindset that help them perform at the highest level, but that mental fortitude? That’s something we can all tap into. Whether you’re working on dropping your 100m time for an upcoming race, improving your speed for football or basketball, or just trying to become faster overall, the same principles apply.

Motivation is a powerful tool, but it’s not just about riding that initial wave of energy. The real challenge is sticking with it after the excitement fades—when it’s just you, the track, and the goal of becoming faster, more explosive, and better at your craft. The ability to push through, even after the highs and lows, is what sets top performers apart, and that applies whether you’re aiming to dominate on the track or boost your speed for your sport.

⚡ Set: Building a Mindset for Long-Term Speed Gains

Motivation might get you on the track, but it’s not enough to keep you there day after day, week after week, when the excitement fades and the grind kicks in. Even top athletes rely on something deeper to stay at the top of their game. So what really keeps them going?

It’s all about creating systems and routines that drive consistency, paired with a clear sense of purpose and the right mindset.

1. Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation (Self-Determination Theory)

Research into Self-Determination Theory (SDT) by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan highlights two key types of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation revolves around external rewards—winning medals, gaining recognition, or achieving a tangible goal. This type of motivation is powerful, especially when your sights are set on concrete achievements like a new personal best or winning a race.

However, intrinsic motivation—the drive that comes from within—is what keeps athletes consistently performing over the long haul. This could be the personal satisfaction of mastering a skill, enjoying the training process, or simply loving the feeling of being in motion. Intrinsic motivation is about loving the sport for its own sake and can help athletes stay engaged even when external rewards are far off.

For most athletes, it’s not about choosing one or the other—it’s the combination of both that drives long-term success. The desire to win (extrinsic) can fuel your ambition, but the joy of improvement and mastery (intrinsic) keeps you on the track when the external rewards aren’t immediate.

Whether your goal is to win a race or simply become better at your sport, understanding how to balance these motivations can help you stay committed through the highs and lows.

2. Goal-Setting (SMART Goals)

Setting clear, achievable goals is essential, whether you're chasing an Olympic dream or simply aiming to improve your speed for your sport. The SMART goals framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) is used by many athletes to keep their training focused and measurable. For example, instead of saying, "I want to be faster," set a SMART goal like, "I want to improve my 100m time by 0.2 seconds within the next 8 weeks."

Having that concrete target gives you something tangible to work toward every day. This also helps you break down larger ambitions into manageable steps. For instance, if your goal is to qualify for a championship race, breaking it into shorter-term, specific goals (like improving acceleration or refining your start technique) makes the journey less overwhelming and more actionable.

SMART goals also provide a built-in system for accountability—you can track your progress and adjust your approach based on measurable feedback. The clearer and more specific your goals are, the easier it is to stay motivated and monitor how far you’ve come.

3. Habit Formation (Building Long-Term Discipline)

It’s not motivation that keeps you showing up on the track or in the gym—it’s habits. Creating consistent routines makes training an automatic part of your day, not something you have to talk yourself into. According to research, it takes around 66 days to form a new habit that sticks, so the key is consistency, even on the days when you don't feel motivated.

Athletes like Usain Bolt didn’t rely on motivation to get through grueling sessions; they built training into their everyday lives as a non-negotiable. For you, it could mean setting a specific time each day for speed work or recovery training. When you combine routine with accountability—like tracking your progress or having a training partner—you’re far more likely to build a habit that endures.

Building small habits first—like starting with consistent warm-ups or short sprints—can lead to more complex routines over time, but the key is to be patient and trust the process. If you focus on the system rather than the result, you’ll stay on course through the ups and downs.

4. Mastery and Mindset (Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset)

Sports psychologist Carol Dweck developed the concept of the growth mindset, which teaches that you can improve through hard work and dedication. Athletes with this mindset don’t see challenges or failures as setbacks—they view them as opportunities to learn and grow.

When you hit a plateau in your speed training, having a growth mindset allows you to see it as a chance to refine your technique, tweak your approach, or focus on a new area of improvement. For instance, if your 100m time stalls, this might be an opportunity to work on your start or improve your endurance in the final 20 meters of the race. The mindset of constant improvement, even if the gains are small, helps athletes progress in the long run.

Research also shows that a growth mindset improves resilience, which is key when dealing with setbacks like injury or burnout. Embracing the process of learning keeps you in the game for the long term, even if results aren’t immediate. This mindset encourages you to stay curious, keep experimenting, and always be willing to improve.

🚀 Go: Apply the System, Not Just the Spark

Now that we’ve broken down how to maintain focus and performance long-term, here’s how you can apply the same approach to your speed training. It’s easy to feel fired up after setting a new personal best or watching a major event like the Olympics, but the real key to improvement is what you do after the spark fades.

Here’s an actionable step you can take this week:

Create Your Speed Improvement Routine:

• Set a SMART Goal: Write down one specific speed-related goal you want to achieve in the next 6–8 weeks. For example, “I want to lower my 100m sprint time by 0.2 seconds” or “I want to improve my acceleration in sprint drills.” Keep it measurable and realistic, so you can track your progress and stay accountable.

• Build Consistent Habits: Commit to two sprint-focused workouts per week, and keep them manageable so you can stay consistent. One day could focus on acceleration (short bursts with full recovery), while another day targets speed endurance (e.g., 150m sprints at 90% effort). Remember, it’s not about volume—it’s about quality and recovery. Build your routine around what fits your current ability and increase intensity only when your body adapts. Rest and recovery are just as important to avoid burnout.

• Track Your Progress: Use a training journal or app to log your times, drills, and any adjustments. Tracking your progress gives you a clear sense of how you're improving and provides insight into areas that need tweaking. It’s also a motivational tool to see your hard work paying off.

The goal this week isn’t to rely on motivation alone but to build a system that drives consistency—because that’s what will keep you improving long after the initial excitement fades.

That’s it for today’s Speed Brief.

Remember, motivation is just the spark—it’s the systems and habits you build around it that will drive your long-term success. Set your goals, build your routine, and track those small wins. Whether you’re chasing a faster sprint time or simply becoming more explosive, it’s the daily grind that gets you there.

Have a great weekend.

Liam

TSP

www.thespeedproject.com