Every January, the same thing happens, there is a mistake between setting a goal and starting a challenge.
Motivation spikes. Calendars reset. People decide this is the year they “finally get serious.”
And by February? Most of those plans are dead. Not because people are lazy. Not because motivation disappeared.
But because what they set wasn’t a goal. It was a challenge.
In Episode 49 of the Past Your Prime podcast, we break down why New Year’s resolutions fail, what goals actually are, and how to set something that doesn’t wreck your system by mid-winter. The goals vs challenges discussion is something each person needs to consider in their healthy lifestyle journey.
The New Year is a Time Marker, not Magic
The New Year doesn’t reset anything.
It’s just a time marker; a moment that invites reflection.
That’s why January feels different:
- People pause
- They evaluate where they’re frustrated
- Pain, limitation, or inconsistency finally catches up
About half of the conversations I have this time of year are about goals. The other half happen later — triggered by injury, burnout, or disappointment.
The calendar isn’t the cause.
It’s just the moment people finally look at their system.
Most Resolutions Aren’t Goals — They’re Challenges
Here’s the hard truth:
Most New Year’s resolutions are challenges, not goals.
Challenges:
- Are short-term
- Stress your system
- Intentionally push toward failure
- Reveal weaknesses
That’s not bad and can be very useful to show where you need to focus. It is a bad think if you think that you are supposed to keep a challenge going the rest of your life.
That misunderstanding is a big issue.
A goal is different:
- It’s a direction for your current system to work toward
- It operates over long time frames
- It allows skill-building and integration
- It survives motivation drops
Challenges are meant to end.
Goals are meant to direct your current system, build skills, and become a process that is easier and easier to perform.
Why Challenges “Work” (Briefly)
Challenges succeed short-term because they borrow identity.
When identity is clear, action becomes easy.
Example: 75 Hard
During the challenge, decisions disappear:
- Alcohol wasn’t debated — it didn’t fit the identity
- Skipping workouts wasn’t an option — it wasn’t who you were that month
Difficulty isn’t a flaw. It’s the point.
But challenges are not permanent.
What a Real Goal Actually Is
A real goal is explicit, process-driven, and long-term.
I prefer:
- Learning goals
- Process goals
- Skill-based goals
Good goals:
- Force action
- Force commitment
- Expose gaps
- Create structure over time
The goal isn’t the outcome. The goal is the ability you’re building.
Questions to Ask Before You Commit
Before you set anything this year, ask:
- Is this a challenge or a goal?
- What weaknesses will this expose?
- What skills do I need to learn?
- What’s the smallest habit that moves this forward?
- Does this match my current identity — or am I trying to change it?
- What are the real barriers?
- What are the opportunity costs?
- Do I actually have the attention for this?
- What will make me quit?
- What does success actually look like?
If you can’t answer these, you’re not setting yourself up for success.
If You’ve Quit Before, You Didn’t Fail
If you’ve ever quit a resolution by February, congratulations.
You didn’t fail.
You ran a challenge…and never followed it up with a goal.
Make a goal and build a system.
🎙️ About Past Your Prime
Past Your Prime is the podcast for active adults balancing training, rehab, family, and real life.
Hosted by Craig Smith (PT & SPC Founder) and Alex Keicher (professional athlete and working dad) and presented by Smith Performance Center.
