2024 is officially in the books!
If pickleball is a passion, there’s a good chance you have some goals attached to your game for the year ahead. We’re all inspired and motivated differently, so we’ve come up with 4 ways to approach your 2025 pickleball goals.
Make a Resolution
Tried & true, a New Year’s Resolution is a great go-to for setting an aim for your game in 2025.
Typically, a resolution is a goal that will take you the better part of the year to accomplish, or a new habit you want to establish over the course of a year.
If you decide to go the resolution route, be sure to make yours something concrete you can measure and track. Examples might be:
- I resolve to become a 3.5 player (be sure to think about and capture how you will measure this type of goal…DUPR? Your coach’s rating? Self rating?)
- I will make my way to the “challenge” courts at my club/park and feel comfortable playing there
- I will find a drilling partner/form a drilling group that meets weekly
- I will work on my fitness/endurance so that I can play for 2+ hours and maintain my energy and focus. If fitness is a 2025 goal for you, and you’d like some added accountability, we have great news! Coach CJ’s 8-Week Pickleball Fitness Challenge is LIVE now as part of the Better Pickleball Academy! The 8-Week Fitness Pickleball Challenge is designed to meet players at their current fitness levels and help them develop the stamina and muscle strength they need to play their best. No need for fancy workouts or going to the gym. All you’ll need is a pair of shoes and an open mind.
Then, make a plan to check in with yourself on a regular basis throughout the year. Depending on your goal, that might be weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Make a note in your calendar, or set a reminder for yourself on your phone. Set milestones for each week, month, or quarter.
Here’s an idea to make your journey toward your resolution more fun: write your big goal on a bottle of bubbly or fine wine, and
voilà…you have a built-in celebration when you achieve it. Not a drinker? Purchase a gift card to a “special occasion” restaurant (one you would not normally splurge on) now, and write your goal on it…when you hit your goal, make that reservation!
It’s important to remember that the failure rate for New Year’s Resolutions is in the neighborhood of 80%, with most people abandoning their plans by mid-February. Author and mental game coach Jared Tendler reminds us that many resolutions fail to deliver results simply because they aren’t set up for lasting change. His advice? Instead of asking “what’s my resolution?” ask “why haven’t I already achieved it?” He suggests that you “Write out why you haven’t improved already, define what’s tripping you up, and make a plan that addresses each of the things you’ve found.” After all, your resolution is probably not some brand new idea that you just came up with on January 1…it’s probably something you have been trying to make happen for some time.
Not a fan of resolutions? You may want to try…
Set an Intention
Setting an intention for your game is different than setting a goal or making a resolution. While a goal is typically an external accomplishment, something you wish to achieve, an intention is more internally focused, describing how you want to feel or a frame of mind you’d like to embody.
In her book The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power, Katherine Morgan Schafler describes intentions this way:
“Intentions are expressed not through what you do, but through how you do it, not if you do it, but why you do it.”
“Your intention is the energy and purpose behind your striving; your goal is what you’re striving for. When you set an intention, you’re giving yourself a way to feel success, satisfaction, and enjoyment during the process, not just in the afterglow of success.”
“When you are honoring your intention, you are consistently animating your values. If kindness is a value, you’re not just kind when people are watching; you’re kind all the time. You’re not kind because you get credit, and you don’t need external validation to tell you whether you’re being kind or not; you already know.”
Examples of pickleball intentions could include:
- I want to re-capture the feeling of fun and joy I had when I was first introduced to the game
- I want to become a better, more encouraging partner
- I want to feel connected to the people I am playing with
- I want to maintain a state of mental tranquility when I play, not allowing my partners or opponents to get under my skin
It’s important to note that resolutions (or goals) and intentions are not mutually exclusive. You can have a goal with or without an intention, and conversely, you can set an intention for your pickleball year and have a goal attached to it…or not. It’s up to you.
Choose a One-Word Theme
So you’ve tried resolutions and intentions and the results have been…underwhelming. Maybe it’s time to try a One-Word Theme for 2025!
The goal is to think of one word (or a very short phrase) that sums up the experience you want to have with pickleball this year.
Maybe the word comes to you right away, or maybe it will take you some time and brainstorming to find just the right word or phrase. Once you decide, consider finding an image to accompany your word, something you can sprinkle through your daily life to remind you and keep you on track. Examples of one-word themes and their symbols include:
- One-Word Theme: Gold. Because I’m going to win my first gold medal in 2025. And/or because I’m going to live by the golden rule when playing pickleball. Change your phone screen-saver to sparkly gold (or get a gold phone case). Buy a gold bracelet that you can wear while playing. Find a t-shirt that says “Pure Gold” that you’ll wear while drilling.
- One-Word Theme: Four. Because this is the year I’m going to get to 4.0. And I’m going to find 3 other people (for a total of 4) who share this goal and I’m going to organize a regular game with them. Also, I’m going to drill 4x a week all year. Find a necklace with a “4” charm that you wear when you play. Set an alarm for 4:00pm every day as a check-in to make sure you’ve done what you need to do that day to reach your goal (and if you haven’t, do it now). Come up with a series of exercises or drills that you do for 4 minutes each.
Make a “25 for 2025” List
This idea comes from author and podcaster Gretchin Rubin and her sister Elizabeth, who have been creating these lists for many years as part of their Happier Podcast. They’ve even created a download for your list.
This is my favorite way to approach my annual goals, because it is a great combination of large and small aims, as well as serious and “just for fun” items. And it allows me to include priorities from every part of my life (including pickleball).
You could make a list of 25 pickleball-related things, OR just carve out a segment of your 25 for 2025 list that is dedicated to your game.
Items on a 25 for 2025 list are typically very specific, and it’s important not to overload the list with big stuff. Too many “heavy lift” tasks is not realistic and can quickly become self-defeating. Finding just the right combination of small tasks and big goals takes time, and spoiler alert: you will NOT get all of your 25 list items accomplished.
Here are a few 25 for 2025 pickleball thought starters (I’ve had most of these on my lists over the years):
- Play in my first tournament
- Get a group of friends together to go to the new Chicken N Pickle (or similar concept in your area)
- Find a regular drilling partner(s)
- Research and demo to figure out the right paddle for my game
- Find the perfect pickleball bag
- Complete CJ’s 8-Week Pickleball Fitness Challenge
- Review my pickleball emails and un-subscribe from the lists that don’t make sense for me or that I’m not reading regularly
- Get certified as a ref
- Attend a pickleball camp (Better Pickleball camps were selected as “Best for Intermediate Players” by Pickleheads in 2024)
- Introduce Bob to pickleball
- Listen to a few episodes of at least 3 pickleball podcasts to find one I can listen to on the way to the court (might we suggest Tony’s Podcast, Pickleball Therapy?)
The possibilities are endless with this one!
As you approach the new year, will pickleball play a role in your resolutions, intentions, themes, or lists? Leave a note in the comments…your ideas may very well inspire your fellow players!
