Coaches and parents always tell us to keep our goals in mind when we go for a competition. Carrying your goals and expectations into a competition is one of the biggest mistakes any athlete can make. This is a big game and you want to win. You want to score a hundred, defeat your competitors, or score a hat-trick（三分）of goals. When you carry your goals into the competitive ground with you, chances are great that you will leave that performance with disappointment and heartache, and nothing more!
Expectations will
weigh you down. Expectations will distract （使分心）you from the performance and make your muscles tighten up. Want to perform to your potential when it counts the most? Then write your goals on a piece of paper before you leave for the game, match or race, and then leave that paper at home! Make a deal with yourself to let go of your goals. Expectations and goals should be your training partner, used to motivate you to work harder during practice and take your game to the next level, However, never take your goals and expectations into a competition. You will not perform to your potential!
Go into your competitions without any preconceived （预想的）ideas about the result. Forget the outcome! Instead, keep your focus on what you’re doing in the moment. Think of the competition as it unfolds, moment by moment. Relax at every opportunity by breathing deep and letting go of the tension in your muscles. When you do this you’ll remain loose and relaxed. When you stay loose, you’ll perform to your capabilities. Goals and expectations are very important for your overall motivation, and very harmful when you carry them into a performance.
小题1:According to the passage, for an athlete one of the biggest mistakes is _______.
| A．forgetting his goals when competing | B．worrying about his not winning |
| C．carrying his goals into the competition | D．paying too much attention to the result |
小题2:The underlined part “weigh you down” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.
| A．make you feel anxious | B．make you want to do something |
| C．help you perform to the potential | D．help you concentrate on something |
小题3:According to the author, expectations and goals should be ________.
| A．set within one’s capabilities |
| B．used as an encouragement when training |
| C．written down in case of being forgotten |
| D．divided into some small parts |
小题4:What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．Keep your goals in mind | B．Set your goals for a competition |
| C．Forget your goals after competitions | D．Leave your goals at home |
