Many athletes are training or exercising with a goal in mind. Regardless of what that main goal is, it is important to have several smaller goals to keep you motivated and moving in the right direction. I recommend setting at least three goals — one that is fairly easy to reach, one that is a little more challenging, and one that is very challenging. For example, if an athlete is running a half marathon, the first goal is to finish, the second goal is to finish in a certain time, and the third goal is to win their age group. This way, regardless of what happens, at least an individual can walk away feeling somewhat satisfied, having a sense of accomplishment, and without interpreting it as a failure and consequently losing motivation.