Goal Setting & Motivation

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"A goal without a plan is just a wish." – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Goal setting is an art. But the truth is, a goal that doesn’t resonate deeply with you will be hard to achieve. This is where many people fail. The reason isn’t lack of ability; it’s lack of connection. You can’t stay motivated toward something that’s not tied to your core values, passions, or long-term aspirations.

So how do we set goals at Long Run? And how can we set ourselves up to stick with it?

Setting the Goal: Make It Meaningful

Before you set a goal, ask yourself: Why do I want this?

If you can’t answer that question with passion, clarity, and purpose, then the goal is likely just something nice to accomplish—but not truly meaningful. These kinds of “nice-to-have” goals are the ones that fizzle out when life gets tough, and that’s because there’s no real drive behind them.

In Atomic Habits, James Clear emphasizes that the key to lasting change is aligning your goals with your identity. If you’re a runner, your goal shouldn’t be, “I want to run a marathon.” Rather, the thought process should be: “I am the kind of person who trains consistently and loves the challenge of a marathon.” When your goal is linked to your identity, it becomes something you naturally strive toward, not something you’re trying to check off a list.

So, make your goals meaningful. Dig deep. Why do you want to achieve this? What will it bring to your life that’s worth the effort? If the goal resonates with who you are or who you want to become, your motivation will naturally follow.

Staying Motivated: Lower the Friction

Now, let’s talk about motivation. It’s often seen as this elusive, almost magical force that either shows up or doesn’t. But in reality, motivation is about lowering the friction to get started.

Motivation isn’t just about "feeling inspired" or “waiting for the right moment." It’s about making it as easy as possible to take action. The more friction there is—whether it’s doubts, distractions, or obstacles—the harder it is to take that first step.

This is where the power of habits comes in. The way to lower friction is to make your actions habitual. The more you make something automatic, the less energy you’ll spend on deciding to do it. Think of brushing your teeth—it’s something you do every day without thinking twice (hopefully). That’s the kind of routine you want to build.

Start Small: Just Focus on Today

To make a goal sustainable, start as small as you can. Start so small that it feels almost too easy. Why? Because the goal is to create consistency—not crush it right away. The key is to build momentum.

Say, “I’ll run for 30 minutes today.” Not “I’ll run for an hour or more every day for the next month.” Why? Because in the beginning, it’s more important to show up than to achieve some grand outcome.

When you focus on doing something small today, it removes the pressure of tomorrow’s long run or next month’s race. You don’t need to worry about what’s coming next. All that matters is today. That’s all you have to commit to right now.

And when you make today’s goal a reality, you’ll find that tomorrow’s goal becomes a little easier. Then, over time, you build the consistency that makes progress inevitable.

Final Thoughts

The real secret to success isn’t in having endless motivation or feeling inspired all the time. It’s about making things easy. Lower the friction to taking action, and make your goal something deeply meaningful to you. That’s how you maintain momentum.

And by focusing on small steps every day, you’ll be surprised at how much you can achieve. Small actions lead to big results—and it’s through that consistency that you’ll build the passion and discipline you need to succeed.

With this mindset, we can build a routine we love and train consistently. Because with consistency, we build passion.