Does your season start off with lots of energy and motivation? You have great intentions for the season, but then by the time the end of season comes you have not realized many of the goals you have set for yourself and the team.

This article gives you 10 strategies to help you have the best season ever.

1. Goal set. Whether you are the coach or athlete, write out your specific goals for the season. Think about last season's results and where you would like to be at the end of this upcoming season.

2. Goal achieve. After you have your goals set, then make a plan to achieve the goals. Goals are useless unless you actively go after them. At minimum you should be doing one thing every day to get you closer to your goals. It does not need to be big, but every tiny action will help. I heard Brian Tracy relate goal achievement to standing in a line: "Anyone who has stayed in line always makes it to the front." Be persistent, and sometimes you need to wait.

3. Do the things others are unwilling to. It might be getting up for morning practices, going just a little further in your under, stretching at home, reading biographies on successful people, attending a workshop, reading books related to the area you need help, or asking an expert. The possibilities are endless.

4. Daily planning. For coaches, you need to have a year plan and detailed plans for every training session. Swimmers, you can plan what foods you are going to pack and eat, when and how much fluid you will consume, when will you stretch, do homework, land drill, etc.

5. Reflection. You should be reflecting on practice every day. What went well, what didn't, what areas need more work, what needs to be done for next practice, were there any corrections that resonated with you or the team? It would be ideal to write out this reflection. This will help you with planning.

6. Find inspiration. It is not easy to stay motivated, so you need to constantly be looking out for ways to stay motivated. Maybe there is a new song you can download. Search for quotes and post them in spots you frequent like your bathroom mirror. Coaches can bring in guest speakers, find motivating stories, watch a great sports movie with the team or even try another sport at practice. "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily." — Zig Ziglar.

7. Celebrate. Every win is not going to be big, but it's important that you celebrate all wins. We have a habit to only celebrate the end goal. The end goal is not possible without all the small wins, so really the small wins might be more important. All wins are important, and you need to start to recognize that. What can you celebrate today?

8. Don't give up. Most people give up on their goals too early. If you had waited just a little bit longer, you might have realized your goal. Sometimes it is hard to see the progress when you are training and coaching. This is why you need to constantly be looking for motivation and be willing to do those things others are not willing to.

9. Believe in yourself. At the end of the day, if you think you cannot do something, then you probably won't. Whatever the goals are for this season, you need to have an unwavering belief that you can do it. Coaches, your job is to help your athletes push through their limiting self-beliefs and see the potential in themselves. And if you are having belief issues, find a mentor to guide you. There is always a team behind someone's success, whether or not they are visible. Position yourself to be successful.

10. Have fun. It is not always going to be fun, but if you are not enjoying the process most of the time, maybe you need to re-evaluate your goals. Is it worth it, and is it what you really want? Some athletes just love to practice, some love to perform. Others want to make national teams. In the end, it should be fun over the long haul. There should only be short-term pain.

If you can make these 10 strategies habits in your training, you will have one amazing season. I look forward to hearing about and seeing your best season yet.