Chasing Big Goals: Belief, Hard Work, and the Power of Process
Fall marathon season is here, and in just about two months, I’ll be lining up at the California International Marathon (CIM) with the biggest running goal I have had for several years. I am training for and believe that I can run 2:50. I will be 18 months post meniscus root repair surgery and never thought I would be back at this level doing what I love setting such big goals. I am grateful every day to have a healthy body that has given me a second chance when I thought I was done.
Saying my big scary goal out loud brings a rush of adrenaline and a fleeting moment of doubt. My PR of 2:52 was set six years ago, and now I’m closer to 50 than 40. On paper, it sounds overly ambitious. But a lot has changed since then. I’ve fueled smarter, done the mental work to strengthen my mindset, limited how much stress derails me, protected my time, and become intentional with training without sacrificing the things that matter most—family, balance, and joy.
One of my favorite seasons as an athlete was chasing the Olympic Trials qualifying time for the marathon. I never got it. But believing in it and going after it changed me. It taught me how much courage it takes to go for what feels just beyond reach. As Eliud Kipchoge, the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, showed, “Failure isn't the opposite of success; it's the soil where wisdom grows.” He believed in the impossible, tried twice, adapted, and eventually succeeded. Belief alone wasn’t enough—it took relentless, disciplined effort.
Outcome, Performance, and Process Goals
In sport psychology, we often talk about three types of goals:
Outcome Goals: The big result you’re aiming for (like 2:50 at CIM).
Performance Goals: Standards you control, like pacing, fueling, or staying relaxed. These are measurable and directly under your control.
Process Goals: Actions you can focus on in the moment to influence performance. These can be divided into two types:
1. Race-day process goals: Things you do during the race to stay on track and in control. Examples: Fuel every 25 minutes; Run the mile you’re in, not worrying about what’s ahead; Focus on cadence or breathing rhythm.
2. Training / preparation process goals: Daily habits that build toward your goal indirectly. Examples: Show up consistently for workouts; Prioritize recovery, sleep, and nutrition; Practice mental skills and visualization; Protect family and personal time.
Outcome goals give direction, performance goals give measurable targets, and process goals—both in training and on race day—ensure you have multiple ways to feel successful along the journey.
Setting Goals Smartly: Readiness and A/B/C Goals
Big goals are exciting, but it’s important to check in with where you actually are—your experience, preparation, and energy. This is why I set my own goals using the same framework I use with clients: thinking in terms of A, B, and C goals.
A Goal: Your audacious, stretch goal—the one that pushes you out of your comfort zone (2:50 at CIM).
B Goal: A strong, achievable target that reflects solid preparation and skills. Hitting this goal still feels like a real win.
C Goal: The baseline or minimum target—what counts as success if things don’t go perfectly (finishing healthy, completing the race, sticking to your training plan).
This approach lets you dream big without being paralyzed by fear of failure. Your goals should challenge you, but they also need to fit where you are right now.
Belief + Hard Work
It’s tempting to think that just believing in a goal is enough. Social media, “manifesting” trends, and inspirational quotes can make it feel like mindset alone will get results. But belief without action is just a wish.
To reach ambitious goals—whether running, career, relationships, or personal growth—you need both:
Belief: Your internal compass—the confidence that you can achieve your goal, the courage to say it out loud, and the resilience to keep showing up even when it’s uncomfortable.
Hard Work: The day-to-day execution—training runs, recovery, fueling, skill-building, showing up, and putting in the work.
Here’s the truth: the hard work is rarely glamorous or fun. Some days it’s boring, repetitive, or just plain uncomfortable.
If you aren't ready to commit to the necessary sacrifice and dedication, an A Goal isn't a goal for you right now—it's a fantasy. And that is perfectly fine. It's up to you to decide what excites you and gets you out of bed, but you must be realistic about how much time, energy, and resources you are willing to put into it.
Ultimately, it’s exactly that consistent, unglamorous effort, performed over time, that turns belief into reality. Kipchoge didn’t break two hours by believing alone—he did the hard, sometimes tedious, work over years, failing twice before succeeding.
We are about to watch this principle in action next Sunday with American marathon runner Conner Mantz as he goes for the American Record at the Chicago Marathon. Mantz has named this ambitious goal, claimed it publicly, and trained relentlessly for it, all while openly admitting to working with a sports psychologist throughout his running career. In one interview I watched recently, Mantz described going to his sports psychologist during his NCAA career because his major races felt unexpectedly hard, even though his fitness was great. The psychologist simply asked if he expected competing at the highest collegiate level to be easy. When Mantz realized he shouldn't expect ease, the focus shifted to expecting the difficulty and performing at his top level regardless. This is the core of mental performance.
This mindset isn't just for elite performers. My personal goal of 2:50 is going to be incredibly hard. Similar to Mantz, I'm working to accept that fact now and am training to be ready for the difficulty and pain of that challenge, not training to somehow avoid it. It's not about making the work easy; it's about executing your process goals when the work is inevitably hard. Peak performance requires mental training and relentless execution—not just hope.
The Vulnerability of Naming Goals
Saying your goal out loud is scary. Especially for women, we often justify or soften our ambitions because we fear judgment, a common symptom of imposter syndrome. But publicly committing can increase accountability and motivation. Saying it aloud transforms a fleeting thought into a real commitment—and shapes your identity as someone actively pursuing it.
It’s also important to notice if you have competing goals. You can’t chase a 2:50 marathon while sacrificing sleep, skipping recovery, or letting stress dominate. A goal without a plan is just a wish. Belief plus structured action bridges the gap between aspiration and achievement.
Beyond Running AND FINAL THOUGHTS
These principles apply far beyond the marathon:
Work: Name the promotion or project you want, then outline the steps and daily actions to get there.
Relationships: Declare the kind of connection you want, and show up consistently in ways that nurture it.
Personal growth: Decide what matters most, then create habits and routines that move you toward it.
The principle is the same: name it, believe in it, and take deliberate, consistent action.
The work starts now. If you’re running a fall marathon, hopefully, you are already well onto working towards established goals. If not, it's time to get started! If you need help defining your A, B, and C goals or mapping out your process, reach out. Name your goal, equip yourself with the right process tools, and take the consistent, imperfect action required to unlock the greatness you believe is possible
Reflection Prompts
What’s a goal you’ve been hesitant to say out loud?
How might naming it change the way you show up?
What process and performance goals could support you along the way?
What’s your A, B, and C goal for this season of your life?
How can you break your process goals into daily, controllable actions?
