Resolutions, Goals, and Intentions: Lessons from the MR340 Race

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What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Every January, we hear the same familiar question: What’s your New Year’s resolution? And every year, most of those resolutions quietly disappear by February.

That failure is not a character flaw. It’s usually a framing problem. Do we ask the right question?

We tend to use resolutions, goals, and intentions as if they mean the same thing. They don’t. And understanding the difference between them can determine whether you actually change and make progress or repeat the same cycle next year.

This distinction has become very clear to me through years of endurance training and racing, especially while preparing for and paddling the Missouri River 340 (MR340) – a 340-mile nonstop race that exposes not just physical fitness, but mindset, identity, and consistency.

You can watch this video on my FitOver67 Youtube channel:

Resolutions: Start. Stop. Fix.

A resolution is usually a decision to start or stop something on a specific date—almost always January 1st. Examples:

  • “I will work out more.”
  • “I will lose weight.”
  • “I will stop doing this or start doing that.”

Resolutions tend to be:

  • Time-bound
  • Behavior-focused
  • Reactive (trying to fix a perceived flaw)
  • Binary: you either succeed or fail

This is why resolutions are fragile. They rely heavily on willpower, which fluctuates. They rarely connect to identity. They usually lack systems – no daily process, no structure. Once a resolution is broken – one missed workout, one bad week – many people mentally abandon it altogether.

In short: resolutions are brittle.

Goals: Direction and Structure

A goal is different. A goal is a specific, measurable outcome you want to achieve.

For me, a clear example is simple: Complete the MR340 in 2026.

That’s a goal you can plan for. You can structure training, recovery, and lifestyle around it.
You can track progress—longer sessions, improved endurance, better efficiency.

Many people use the SMART framework when setting goals:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Relevant
  • Time-bound

Even my general MR340 goal fits this model reasonably well. It’s specific (the MR340 race), measurable (finish or not), achievable (given experience and preparation), relevant (supports my intentions), and time-bound (race day 2026).

Adding Precision to a Goal

Now consider this goal version: Complete the MR340 in under 60 hours.

This adds a performance dimension:

  • Specific – still one race, now with a clear performance target
  • Measurable – your time is concrete; you can track splits and pacing
  • Achievable – more challenging, but realistic with structured training
  • Relevant – aligns with staying active, having fun, and inspiring others – my intentions
  • Time-bound – finish time creates a clear temporal target

That added precision changes everything. Training becomes more strategic – pacing, nutrition, rest, endurance planning all matter. Progress tracking becomes precise – intermediate splits tell you if you’re on pace. Motivation often increases, but so does pressure. That pressure must be balanced by something deeper. That’s where intentions come in.

Intentions: The Foundation That Lasts

An intention is not an outcome. It’s not a deadline. It’s not a performance metric.

An intention is a guiding principle for how you live and act today.

Intentions are:

  • Identity-based
  • Process-oriented
  • Independent of dates or outcomes
  • Repeatable every day

My personal intentions are simple:

  • Stay healthy and active
  • Have fun
  • Inspire others

These are not checkboxes. They are ways of being. I can live these intentions today. Tomorrow. Next year. Whether a race goes well or not. That’s why intentions survive setbacks. They fuel intrinsic motivation, not pressure.

Why I Don’t Wait for New Year’s Day

I don’t wait for January 1st. Movement doesn’t need permission from a date. Health is not a seasonal project. Aging well isn’t built in January. It’s built daily.

Consistency beats motivation. Identity beats willpower. Process beats promises. This mindset matters even more as we get older.

How It All Fits Together

Here’s the hierarchy that works:

  • Intentions guide daily behavior
  • Goals provide direction and structure
  • Resolutions are optional—and often unnecessary

My MR340 goal is supported by my intentions, not the other way around. The race is an expression of the lifestyle, not the reason for it.

A Better New Year Question

So if you’re thinking about the New Year, try asking a different question:

Not: “What should I fix?”
But: “Who do I choose to be—today?”

Intentions don’t expire. They don’t break. They don’t wait for January 1st. They start now.

If this perspective resonates with you: Subscribe to my YouTube channel for real-world lessons from endurance paddling, rowing, and healthy aging.

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