Don’t Quit on the Uphills: The Real Challenge of Long-Term Goals

We love setting big goals. There’s something exhilarating about declaring, “I’m going to lose 100 pounds,” or “I’m training for a marathon,” or even something as wild as tackling a 100-mile race through mountains and darkness. The first day is exciting. The finish line? Easy to picture.

But you know what makes long-term goals so incredibly hard?

Not changing your mind.

Not letting the discomfort morph into doubt.

Not letting the inevitable setbacks convince you that you were foolish to want something big in the first place.

As a coach, I’ve seen it again and again: someone comes to me fired up with a plan: “I want to lose 100 pounds so I can run my first half-marathon,” or “I want to feel strong again.” Their reason is always powerful. Their desire is always real.

What they don’t see yet is the messy middle—the months (or years) where progress feels slow, motivation dips, and every obstacle whispers, “Maybe this isn’t worth it.” Many quit long before they even have a chance to see what they’re capable of.

The truth is, the hardest part isn’t losing the weight, crossing the marathon finish line, or stepping on stage for the bikini competition. The hardest part is staying committed through the long, messy, challenging process it takes to get there.

I was reminded of that in the most humbling way a few weeks ago during my 100-mile race at Kodiak. 2025 is my prep year— every race, every training block, a stepping stone toward my 2026 dream: the UTMB. On paper, I have a solid plan.

But as I neared the finish line, exhausted and questioning everything, fear crept in: What if you’re not capable of this? Do you even really want it anymore?

That wasn’t strategy talking. That wasn’t my training or my truth.

That was fear—the same fear that shows up for every single person chasing something bigger than themselves. If it’s not fear, maybe it’s doubt or exhaustion that begs you to quit. 

And that’s when I had to come back to the promise I made to myself in December of 2024. I said the goal out loud. I committed. And I am not someone who speaks a goal into existence and then walks away when it gets steep.

So here’s your reminder — maybe the reminder you didn’t even realize you needed:

Set the goal. Say it out loud. Then keep showing up for it.

Don’t let one hard moment erase your dream.

Don’t quit on the uphills.

Don’t quit on a bad day.

Don’t quit when you’re alone. 

And just like it’s important to speak your goal into existence, it’s important to speak your doubt too. If you feel like giving up—say that out loud. Let your crew, your pacer, your best friend hear the fear.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes to get the support you need to refocus, breathe, and take the next step.

Because the view from the top? It’s worth every single step that tried to break you.