Why Goal Setting Can Set You Up for Failure (and What to Do Instead)
Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running
RunnersConnect: Coaching Community, Running Experts, Inspiring Runners, No Fluff Blog
4.5 • 936 Ratings
🗓️ 29 October 2021
⏱️ 13 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Runners are inherently goal-oriented - it's why we have race day circled on the calendar.
However, this approach may be actually setting you up for failure. In fact, it can be like trying to squeeze a wet bar of soap - the harder you squeeze the more difficult it is to keep ahold of.
So, in this episode of Run to the Top, we're going to teach you a better way to set goals and walk you through the process step-by-step.
You'll definitely want to listen to this one before you start setting up your goals and training for your next race!
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi there my running friend this is Coach Claire Bartholic, the Planted Runner, and this is the |
| 0:14.8 | Run to the Top Podcast, one of the first and only running podcast dedicated to making |
| 0:19.7 | you a better runner with each and every episode. We are created and produced by the |
| 0:24.6 | expert team of running coaches at runnersconnect.net where you can find the |
| 0:29.7 | best running Many runners are extremely goal-oriented. We love to put a race on the |
| 0:46.1 | calendar and plan every run with the idea of doing better than ever on the big day. |
| 0:50.6 | But what if I told you that the goal that you are after might |
| 0:54.8 | actually be harder to achieve if you focus on it too much? Or that if done the wrong |
| 1:00.7 | way, goal setting can even set you up for failure. |
| 1:05.4 | While I love big scary goals and I'll tell you why in just a minute, |
| 1:08.8 | they are kind of like a wet bar of soap. The tighter you hold on to them, the easier they can slip away. On today's |
| 1:15.6 | run to the top, I'd like to explore better, more effective ways to set running goals that |
| 1:21.6 | you can actually achieve, |
| 1:23.3 | rather than just circling a race state |
| 1:25.1 | in the future and dreaming about it. |
| 1:30.4 | If you've just run a big race |
| 1:31.9 | and you're taking some down time to reassess where your running is right now, |
| 1:35.0 | this is the perfect time to reflect and plan a new running cycle where you were in control of your success each and every day. |
| 1:43.0 | And ironically, it can be a far better way of actually getting the results you want on race day. |
| 1:50.0 | Let's start by talking about the usual way to set a running goal. I'll use the |
| 1:55.0 | half marathon as an example. Let's say you want to run faster than two hours |
| 2:02.2 | in the half marathon and your last half came in around |
... |
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