The vision statement defines an individual athlete's goals, values, and principles that will guide their behavior and performance. It serves as a daily reminder for the athlete when pursuing their athletic goals and can help make objective decisions during times of emotional fluctuation. An effective vision statement should be aligned with the overall goals of the athlete's team while also establishing the importance of their individual contribution.

1. The vision statement is just that; a statement of the vision? Intention or goal of an organization or individual
athlete. The vision statement is a personal contract with yourself for ethical behavior, performance goals, and
more specifically how you wish to portray yourself to yourself, the team, the college or university you wish to or
are currently playing for. The vision statement represents the guiding principles for which you will commit to as
you strive to achieve the goals you have set for your athletic pursuits this coming year. The vision statement can
vary in length, structure, and content. It can be a paragraph long or simply one or two sentences. The vision
statement can serve to be your daily “mantra” and represents your deepest convictions about how you wish to
be as an athlete. When the chips are down, the vision statement can serve to remind you of the what, when,
where, and why behind your desire to be the best you can be.
A vision statement helps to define the following:
1. Guides daily behavior – analyze person actions, and attitudes.
2. Serves as a reminder of why you are doing what you do.
3. Reduces ambiguity – serves as a decision making tool. This represents your purpose and vision.
4. Facilitates objective decision making – decreases emotional response to decision making by making it
more objective and dispassionate. It keeps the emotions out of the way. When emotional states are in
flux, it helps to put the behavioral response in context. For example, if the vision statement espouses
respect for self, treating self without judgment or discontent, and values skill development and process
thinking over winning, statistics, or end results the overall meaning of the intent becomes more related
to personal values. In the end your vision statement has in the best interest the “team goals”, but
establishes the importance you place on your contribution and how you continue to remain motivated
through adversity.
5. Requires it be in some form associated with the overall team goals (assuming you play for a team). For
example, to win the championship one game at a time by first winning the conference championship one
game at a time.
John R. Ellsworth, MA 6. It works because you have a written committed and vested interest in meeting the goals contributing to
Master Mental Game Coach your success, the team’s success, and most importantly having balance in life and fun in what you are
doing.
Protex Sports
The vision statement is designed to create a vision for the future, be clear about where you are going, covey a
www.protexsports.com positive sense of purpose, promote shared we well as individual values, and finally it inspires the athlete to
motivate and take action.
Example: Become the most dominant shooting Point Guard on the team, conference, and country and in doing
so contribute to the team’s ultimate goal of a PAC 10 championship first, and the NCAA championship second. I
do this by motivating and empowering myself to contribute to the best of my ability without fear while honoring
the game and adhering to the schools, the conference, and the teams code of conduct.