The Power of One Hard Goal: Why Doing the Difficult Thing Matters
Every January, there’s a lot of talk about the ritual of setting New Year’s resolutions. By February, most of those well-intentioned goals are abandoned, left in the dust of holiday nostalgia. It’s easy to see why—lofty, vague goals like “get in shape” or “read more” sound great but are tough to hold up under the weight of everyday life.
I sort of ignore the resolution hype, but I do like the idea of a clean slate and starting something new. So around the end of December I’ll type a couple of goals in the Notes app on my phone and set a few vague deadlines. This year, I’m taking a different approach. Instead of chasing a list of resolutions, I’m setting one goal. A hard, hairy beast of a goal—the kind of goal that will take more than just a few months to achieve. A goal that demands discipline, resilience, and grit. A goal that I will want to tell to go kick rocks in a deep lake during long workdays and full weekends.
So Why One Hard Goal?
I’ve accomplished a couple fitness-related goals, surprising myself in the process, and ultimately drew some powerful lessons from those experiences. There’s something transformative about taking on a challenge that stretches you beyond what you perceive to be your limits. And, it has a cascading effect into other areas of life, including what you do for a living.
Commitment to doing the hard thing builds problem-solving skills. It strengthens resilience. It makes you more adaptable to uncertainty. It forces you to break down the hard thing into smaller, doable steps. It also builds confidence and helps you think more expansively.
It doesn’t matter whether your “hard thing” is cooking an intimidating recipe, mastering an advanced yoga pose, or breaking your personal squat record. The act of committing to something difficult and pushing through the discomfort is where there’s real magic—that’s where growth happens.
My Hard Goal: The Farmer’s Carry
By the end of September (if not before), I want to complete a farmer’s carry—a weightlifting exercise where you walk for a full minute while holding a dumbbell in each hand that total 75% of your body weight. For me, that means 37.5 pounds in each hand, again, for one minute. Why would I want to do this? Because it’s setting me up to have the strength I need for as high a quality of life as I can muster as I get older.
Right now, I can manage 20 pounds in each hand without passing out, so I’m not starting from scratch. But getting to 75 pounds? That’s going to require consistent and intense training. It’s going to be uncomfortable, and it’s going to suck. But if I chip away at it every other day, put in the reps, and trust the process—I’ll get there. Just like I can follow a recipe, I’ll follow a tried-and-true formula for building strength.
How I’m Making It Happen
I’m not leaving this goal to chance. Inspired by Mel Robbins’ January 6th podcast episode on goal-setting, I’m using a structured approach to ensure success:
- Write It Down – I’ve documented my goal and taped it to my computer monitor where I’ll see it every day. The more I see it, the more my brain internalizes it—not as a far-off dream, but as something I’m actively working toward. It’ll go from a goal to a habit—something I just do, not something I’m just aspiring to.
- Engage Co-Conspirators – When my motivation dips (and it will), I have a support system. My husband and sister (who conveniently happens to be a personal trainer) are on standby for encouragement and accountability.
- Make It Public – Now that this goal is out in the open, I have no choice but to follow through (thanks, everyone!). I refuse to come back to this blog space and report that I didn’t do it. Sometimes, a little Type-A streak comes in handy.
Your Turn (?): Pick One Hard Thing
Choosing one hard goal isn’t just about the achievement itself—it’s about who you become in the process. The discipline, the small daily wins, the ability to push through discomfort—these ripple out into every area of your life. You learn that you’re capable of more than you thought, that consistency outweighs motivation, and that the real magic happens when you keep showing up.
Gabi Barragan – Consulting Manager
