{"id":61822,"date":"2026-03-02T20:05:53","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T20:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=61822"},"modified":"2026-03-02T20:05:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T20:05:57","slug":"how-to-set-goals-rich-madeley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/how-to-set-goals-rich-madeley\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Set Goals: Rich Madeley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Experienced competitor, test jumper, and PD rep with how setting intentional goals accelerate real progression<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Evolving Goals in Skydiving<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Skydiving has a funny way of reshaping what we think we\u2019re chasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know it\u2019s a clich\u00e9, but if you\u2019d told me 15 years ago that I would be where I am today, doing the things I\u2019m doing, with the people I\u2019m doing them with, I would have rolled my eyes and gone right back to struggling to fit my 190 into a bag that was plenty big enough. But here I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, I had aspirations for my skydiving career. What it has evolved into, though, has surpassed my wildest dreams. Dreams I didn\u2019t even know I was chasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning How to Aim<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, my relationship with goals has taken a lot of different forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve charged headfirst into credit card debt, vowing not to stop until I could fly circles around any tunnel instructor in the world. I\u2019ve slowed things way down into an almost zen-like pace, trying to use \u201cthe force\u201d to Jedi mind-trick my goals into meeting me when the time was right. I\u2019ve even looked the other direction entirely, hoping my body would just absorb whatever it needed without me forcing it \u2014 the skydiving equivalent of pretending not to care how long that Linkin Park song took to download on LimeWire. Surely that helped, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The approach that\u2019s worked best for me, though, has been a reasonably stoic one. Stoicism isn\u2019t about resisting life. It\u2019s about preparing carefully, acting intentionally, and accepting whatever unfolds without fighting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rich and friends at Operation VK
Photo by Buzz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Big Dreams vs. Small Steps<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

So how do you relate to your goals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you like tackling progression with multiple short-term goals, or do you prefer one big, shiny endgame to plug away at? Personally, I\u2019ve never had a single vision that I must<\/em> obtain at all costs. I prefer smaller, achievable goals that act like stepping stones toward a larger objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m the type of person who writes \u201cmake to-do list\u201d at the top of my to-do list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, I always have a general direction I\u2019m working toward \u2014 whether that\u2019s flying head down, competing in freefly, winning a medal, or even one day flying a Peregrine. But I also make peace with the fact that things can change. Sometimes they change for the better, like finding yourself in an even more incredible position\u2026 say, working for the company that actually makes<\/em> the Peregrine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning Dreams Into Workable Goals<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you want to progress and achieve in this sport, goals are your friend. The key is learning to separate goals from dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dreams are absolutely achievable in skydiving, but trying to work directly toward a dream can feel overwhelming. The solution is to break that dream down into clear, simplified goals that give you something concrete to work on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s say you want to be a Swoop World Champion. Amazing. To be a world champion at anything, you need mastery. That means learning everything you can about the discipline and figuring out where you currently stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How\u2019s your canopy handling? Can you land near your target every time? If yes, great. If not, there\u2019s your first goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most valuable resources in skydiving is coaching. There\u2019s an abundance of it across all disciplines, and it\u2019s almost never a bad idea to seek it out. Find a coach who works for you and get to work. Be realistic about how much time you can spend at the dropzone and how much disposable income you have, and plan accordingly. Talk to your coach about the next achievable checkpoint and keep moving forward \u2014 like a monkey swinging from one vine to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your experience, knowledge, and skill will grow, and your goals \u2014 and even your dreams \u2014 will start to feel closer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rich happily crushing it
Photo by Buzz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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When the Outcome Changes<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the slightly harsher truth: not everyone who dreams of being a world champion will become one \u2014 and that\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean the journey wasn\u2019t a success. The dedication and progression almost always open doors you didn\u2019t even know existed at the start. Being active instead of passive has helped me see opportunities where others saw dead ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weather cancels jumping? Stay and debrief.
Can\u2019t afford a new canopy? Learn everything you can about the one you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staying positive and willing to evolve with my career as it unfolds has been my secret weapon. When one door closes, another often opens, but only if you\u2019re paying attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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