Why Goals Matter (Even When You’re Not Always in the Mood)

I’m running every day this January. And while I’m genuinely feeling better for it, the early mornings have taken some adjusting. Turns out that even when something is good for you, the alarm going off before dawn still requires a quiet word with yourself before you get out of bed.

This challenge isn’t really about January, though. It’s part of a bigger goal to run another marathon. Keeping that end point in mind makes the dark mornings worth pushing through. And it’s a useful reminder of why goal setting matters. When done well, goals give you something to anchor to, especially on the days when the effort feels inconvenient, repetitive, or harder than you expected.

The Big Picture Keeps You Moving Through the Small Stuff

Running every day isn’t the goal. Running a marathon is. The daily runs are just the pathway to get there. And when I’m tired, or the weather’s terrible, or I’d rather be doing literally anything else, I remind myself why I’m doing this. That bigger picture pulls me forward when the small stuff tries to pull me under.

The same applies in business. If your goal is to grow revenue by 20% this year, the daily grind of prospecting, refining processes, and having tough conversations with your team can feel overwhelming. But when you zoom out and remember the why behind the goal, whether it’s financial security, creating jobs, or building something you’re proud of; those hard days become part of the journey, not roadblocks.

The trick is to keep the end goal visible. Write it down. Stick it somewhere you’ll see it. Tell people about it. When the daily slog feels pointless, that North Star reminds you what you’re building toward.

Break It Down or Get Buried

A marathon is 42.2 kilometres. If I thought about that distance every single morning, I’d never leave the house. So I don’t. I focus on today’s run. Then tomorrow’s. Then the week ahead. Small, manageable chunks that don’t feel impossible.

Business goals work the same way. If you’re aiming to double your team, expand into new markets, or launch a new product line, looking at the full scope can be paralysing. Break it into milestones. What needs to happen this quarter? This month? This week? Suddenly, the impossible starts to look achievable.

This is where most goal setting falls apart, people set ambitious targets but don’t build the roadmap to get there. You need both the destination and the stepping stones. Without the roadmap, goals just become wishful thinking.

Accept That It Won’t Always Feel Easy

This month has been a reminder that worthwhile goals ask something of you. They take time, energy, and a willingness to keep showing up even when it would be easier not to. And that’s true whether you’re training for a marathon or leading a business through growth.

That’s the real lesson. Goals aren’t about feeling motivated every day. They’re about building the discipline to keep moving forward, one step at a time, even when progress feels slow or inconvenient. Because when you stay clear on where you’re heading and commit to the work along the way, you don’t just reach the goal; you build the capability to take on whatever comes next.