Goals aren’t just a thing to be reserved for games like football, but deserve some consideration in almost every area of life. If you don’t have goals, then your progress is somewhat aimless – and “goals” keep us on a track to getting somewhere.

Have you set the right goals for your progress at bridge?

I’d like to take a moment of your time to talk about goals, why we should set them as players, and how we can sometimes get them wrong.

Here’s why you should set up goals for getting better at bridge (and why the goalposts should never be marked too high).

Why goals are a necessary evil

Goals are necessary, because people like to feel as though they have achieved something practical. Goals keep track of progress, and helps us to “raise the bar” for what we’re going to do next.

Have you ever put several hours into a video game like GTA: San Andreas just to complete ALL the side quests – and for no actual, practical reason other than the achievement?

It was a goal, and human nature means that we can’t really help but feel accomplished when achieving it.

When you start to set your own goals, achievement gets an exciting edge. This, for many, helps as a driving factor – especially on days where learning or achieving is more difficult.

Where goals go wrong

The achievement of a set goal makes you feel like you can take over the whole world for at least a few set seconds, days, or even weeks.

But what happens if you don’t achieve the bar you’ve set?

I chose three months to read through a selection of books on French Cooking. It’s been almost four months, and I’ve read several heavy books that weren’t those.

Does this mean I’ve failed?

Not necessarily.

It could mean the bar was set too high, or the potential goal should be re-adjusted.

Good goals for bridge

Potential goals for bridge will be different for everyone. I would encourage players to make a list of their potential future goals – and of course, make sure that the bar isn’t set so high that you yourself can’t achieve them in time!

What are some good goals for improving your bridge game?

For example, let’s say that you’d like to…

• Learn One New Bridge Convention (Per Week)

• Read Two Bridge Books (Per Month)

• Play Bridge (More Often)

Now, go set some goals for bridge!

List some of your future bridge goals in the comments, or write them down on a list and stick it to your fridge!