Beyond Resolution, Toward Intention: The Steadfast Framework for Achievable Goals
Achieving new goals can often consume our thoughts as we move into a new year. At Steadfast, goal setting is a constant topic of conversation amongst both our members and staff. Setting new goals can frequently seem overwhelming. Maybe you even feel like it is an unproductive use of your time. Where do I even start? What if I set huge goals and don’t achieve them? We’ve been there. But as each year passes and we continue to invest energy into this area, the more we realize how impactful goals can be to living an intentional life. Here are a few tips we often use to help our staff and our members set intentional goals.
First, create goals you have “complete” control over. If goal setting is new for you or you find yourself hesitant to create specific goals due to a fear of failure, creating goals you can control can be a great launching point. When members sign up at the gym, weight loss, muscle tone, strength, etc. are all desirable areas to progress in. While these are all great, they allow for too many variables. What happens if I feel my best at a different weight than what I had in mind? What if I don’t look like I did 10 years ago and that’s what I was hoping for? While there is simply nothing wrong with these desires, it is a sure way to keep you feeling stuck and discouraged. Instead, commit to getting into the gym 3-5 times a week, or drink at least 100oz of water a day. These goals are completely in your control and will inevitably move you towards a healthier version of yourself while gaining momentum.
Second, think macro, then micro. Many of our members desire to achieve their first pull-up. Although at first glance this may appear to be a specific goal, breaking it down into smaller action steps (micro) is a sure way to move them towards that first pull-up. What if we instead make the goal, “I will commit to strengthening my lats twice a week.” OR “I will do 50 assisted pull-ups each week until I achieve my first pull-up.” These goals are now very tangible ways to move us towards our macro goal (pull-up) simply by being consistent with our micro goals each week.
Third, invite others into your 2026 goals. “If you want to go fast go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” This proverb comes to mind when we reflect on the third tool we try to implement for effective goal setting. We don’t know about you, but if we tell someone close to us about a goal we have, we know we are 10x more likely to follow through. This past month at Steadfast, we created a 2026 goal board for our members and coaches to log their specific fitness goals for the new year. Bringing our gym community together in this way has already fostered opportunity for collaboration, accountability, and encouragement. Choosing to invite others into your goals is a rewarding way to ensure you keep moving forward in 2026.
May you finish this year having accomplished all that you set out to do from the beginning. From our team here at Steadfast, happy New Year.
Remain Steadfast!
