As we enter the last quarter of the year, many of us in the endurance sports world begin to shift our focus. The race season has come to a close, and it’s time to reflect on the months behind us. We assess our performance, review areas of improvement, and start thinking ahead to the next season. It’s well and truly the “dreaming season”—that exciting period where we set new goals and plan the path forward for the next year.
This dreaming season isn’t just limited to sport. As career- and business-driven women, this is also a key time to shift our focus to our careers. The end of the year is a natural point for career reviews, goal-setting, and reflecting on professional growth. Just like we do in our sports, we need to assess, plan, and set ambitious goals for the coming year in our work lives.
This is where Mindset Mastery comes into play—a powerful tool that allows you to apply the same discipline, confidence, and growth mindset from athletics to your career planning.
Assess Your Year: Athletically and Professionally
Before we look ahead, it’s crucial to look back. For athletes, this is the time to review the past race season:
- What went well?
- What could have gone better?
- Where did you surprise yourself, and where did you fall short of your goals?
This reflective process is the first step in setting yourself up for future success.
Similarly, in your career, this is also the right time to evaluate your year at work.
Were there projects or goals that you hit out of the park? What skills or areas of expertise did you struggle with? Think of your career review just like a race debrief—it’s not about focusing on what went wrong, but about learning from the experience to grow stronger in the next season.
Set New Goals and Dream Big
Once you’ve done your assessment, it’s time to dream big. As athletes, we know the power of setting bold, motivating goals for the next race season—whether it’s a new PR, stepping up to a longer race distance, or improving your mental game. The same goes for your career. This is the season to start preparing for end-of-year performance reviews, promotions, and next-level career ambitions.
Setting these goals for both sport and career isn’t just about writing down what you want to achieve. It’s about crafting a plan of action that includes the small, everyday habits that will get you there. You already know how to do this as an athlete—every run, swim, or ride is a building block toward race day. You can apply the same principles to your career goals.
Master Your Mindset to Build Confidence
Here’s where the magic happens: Mindset Mastery. As athletes, we’ve developed an incredible ability to stay focused, push through challenges, and maintain belief in our abilities, even when the path isn’t smooth. We’ve built resilience through long training sessions, injury setbacks, and race-day nerves.
This mindset is exactly what you need to bring into your professional world, especially as you prepare for career reviews or set ambitious goals for the next year. The same confidence that gets you to the finish line can help you walk into that review meeting feeling prepared and self-assured. When imposter syndrome creeps in, remind yourself of the resilience you’ve built as an athlete—you already have the tools to succeed.
How I Can Help You Unleash Your Athlete Mindset
In Mindset Mastery coaching, during a one-time, focused 90 minute session, I help women athletes like you tap into the confidence and resilience you’ve developed through sport to fuel your career growth. We work together to identify the strengths you’ve built as an athlete and apply them to your professional challenges, whether that’s overcoming self-doubt, building time management strategies, or setting bold career goals for the year ahead.
As you enter the amazing dreaming season, remember that you’re capable of achieving great things—both on the race course and in your career.
Let’s make this your strongest season yet!
