QT: Start Thinking About Next Year’s Goals Now

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If you’ve been around for a while, you know I’m a big fan of a new year.

When it comes to setting goals for the new year? The bigger the better.

One reason that I think many big goals, or resolutions, fail is that we don’t spend enough time thinking about next year’s goals before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

Point blank, the time to start thinking about your 2023 running goals is now.

Put a Little Thought Into It

Stop me when this sounds familiar:

It’s somewhere between Christmas and the New Year, you’ve been running around like a chicken with your head cut off for the last few weeks, and you’ve hardly thought about next year’s goals at all.

Then, while watching the Rose Bowl parade or a bowl game or while running the #DRNYFA you start thinking about what you want to achieve in the new year.

By the end of the parade or the half or that hour’s 5k, you settle on a goal or two for the year.

Three days later, if that, you’ve forgotten what your goals were as you get back into the regular rhythm of life.

If you want to give yourself a fighting chance to crush next year’s goals, you’ve got to spend some serious time thinking about a whole host of factors.

And by serious time, I don’t mean a parade or a football game or a few 5ks.

I mean the better part of a month.

That’s why it’s time to start thinking about next year’s goals now.

What, Exactly, Should You Think About?

Setting the right goals for you and your running in 2023 won’t happen by accident.

While thinking about next year’s goals over the next few weeks, here are a few suggestions for you to consider:

Why

If your goals matter to you, you’re more likely to put in the work.

A mileage goal? Doing more foam rolling? Getting serious about strength training?

These can be good goals, but you’re not likely to stick with them if they don’t mean anything to you.

Long-term goals that really matter are more likely to be seen through than goals that are more or less meh.

Logistics

What will it take to be successful with your goals?

How much time? Any extra cost? What do you have to give up?

Looking at the nuts and bolts of success before committing to next year’s goals is definitely a good idea.

Progression

For a year-long goal, are you planning to be steady eddy all year? Ramp up as the year goes along? Maybe a little more like a wave with some ebbs and flows?

There’s not necessarily a right or wrong way to answer this question.

But it’s worth considering when setting your running goals for 2023.

If It Ain’t Broke…

Another thing that I think is worth mentioning is the importance of not fixing what’s not broken.

Sometimes I think continuing to do what we’ve been doing is the best option to take.

If you’re seeing progress in your running. Staying healthy. Enjoying the sport.

Nothing says next year’s goals need to be anything more than staying with what’s working.

Don't wait to start thinking about next year's goals. Start now. #runchat Click To Tweet

When Do You Usually Start Thinking About Your Goals for the Next Year?

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