Goal Setting for Improvement
Here's a simple mnemonic-
S - Specific (or Significant).
M - Measurable (or Meaningful).
A - Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
R - Relevant (or Rewarding).
T - Time-bound (or Trackable).
Goal setting is a key, and often overlooked method to personal improvement. Players of all ages should not just think about what they want to accomplish with each season or off-season, but rather write down and keep track of very specific goals that they wish to accomplish.
For example, instead of having "To score a lot of goals" as a goal, it's more powerful to say "To double my goal production from my sophomore year total of 10 to 20." Obviously, this will only be attainable if a lot of preparation has been completed beforehand, and the player can drill down into ways to accomplish this by setting practice hour goals, game shot totals, and conditioning standards.
If you want to improve between now and next year, in hockey, life, academics, or business, set goals for yourself that are measurable and attainable. Then devote all your energy to fulfilling them...