The Athletic Mind

As a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies, I’ve taken a keen interest in this year’s off-season to some of the comments made by coaching staff and players. Some of these comments revolve around goal-setting, which is naturally a good thing to do at the start of any season. But are these goals suitable when we consider the research on goal-setting in sports from psychological standpoint?

Ja Morant’s recent declaration that his goal for the season is to play all 82 games reflects admirable determination and a desire to silence critics who question his durability. However, from a sport psychology perspective, this goal may not be the most suitable or psychologically effective. According to goal-setting theory and the SMARTER framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluated, and Readjusted), effective goals should be within the athlete’s control and structured to maintain motivation and confidence. It is hard to structure a goal that essentially is perfection in terms of games played.

While Morant’s goal is certainly specific and measurable, it fails the test of controllability—a key principle in high-performance psychology. Playing all 82 games depends not only on Morant’s preparation and mindset but also on factors outside his control, such as injuries, coaching decisions, or even league suspensions. Setting goals around uncontrollable outcomes increases the risk of frustration, stress, and perceived failure, even when the athlete performs exceptionally within their control.

Sport psychologists like Gardner (2014) advocate for process-oriented goals—those centred on controllable aspects of performance, such as maintaining recovery routines, improving physical resilience, or adopting consistent mental preparation. These goals foster a sense of agency and promote adaptive confidence. In contrast, outcome-oriented goals like “playing every game” can create psychological pressure, encouraging overexertion or risky play to avoid missing time, potentially leading to burnout or injury—the very issues Morant aims to overcome.

A more effective approach would be for Morant to reframe his target: focusing on maximising availability through disciplined recovery, consistent effort, and balanced self-management. By setting SMARTER goals around preparation and resilience, he could enhance both performance and wellbeing, rather than tying his success to an uncontrollable, all-or-nothing outcome. In elite sport, the smartest goals aren’t always the biggest—they’re the most sustainable.