The Surprising Thing I Learned When I Lowered My Step Goal: What It Taught Me About Building a Consistent Running Habit

If you’ve ever tried to set running goals and felt frustrated when you couldn’t stick to them, you’re not alone. Most beginner runners (and even seasoned runners!) unknowingly set goals that are too big for the season of life they’re in.

I realized this recently with a completely different habit: my step goal.

For years, I followed the popular “10,000 steps a day” rule. It sounded simple, healthy, and achievable… until my actual life got in the way. On office days, I barely hit 2,000 steps. And instead of motivating me, that 10,000-step target quietly made me feel like I was failing.

Fun fact: the 10,000-step goal didn’t actually come from science, it originated from a marketing campaign in 1960s Japan. Research has repeatedly confirmed that it was never rooted in evidence.

On top of that, more recent research shows that 7,000 steps per day is associated with significant health benefits and a reduced risk of early mortality. Many studies even show that the health benefits begin to plateau around the 7,000–8,000 step range. 

The Problem With Setting Unrealistic Running Goals

We do this without realizing it: 

• Deciding we’ll run 5 times a week right from the start

• Expecting 30 minutes of continuous running on Day 1

• Pressuring ourselves to run faster, longer, or “keep up”

• Comparing our pace to runners who’ve been running for years

But unrealistic goals don’t make you more motivated. They make you more overwhelmed. And overwhelm is the #1 reason the start–stop cycle shows up.

When your goals are too big, you experience: 

• All-or-nothing thinking

• Guilt when you don’t meet them

• Avoidance (“I’ll restart Monday…”)

• Feeling like running is “too hard for me”

That’s exactly how I felt every time I missed the 10,000-step mark. I wasn’t failing, but rather the goal was failing me. 

How a 7,500-Step Goal Taught Me the Power of “Right-Sized” Goals

Switching my target from 10,000 to 7,500 steps wasn’t lowering my ambition. It was choosing something that:

• Encouraged movement
• Fit my mom-life and work-life
• Felt satisfying when I hit it
• Didn’t require unrealistic effort

And suddenly… I started hitting the goal more often. Not perfectly, but consistently.

That’s when it clicked:

Running works the exact same way.

Realistic Running Goals Build Real Consistency

Think about the last time you set a running goal. Was it based on your: 

• current fitness?

• schedule?

• stress level?

• responsibilities?

Or was it based on what you thought you should be doing?

Realistic running goals aren’t “small goals.” They’re reachable goals: the kind that stretch you just enough without burdening you. Examples of realistic running goals: 

• Running 2–3 times per week instead of jumping to 5

• Doing run/walk intervals instead of continuous running

• Choosing a comfortable pace rather than chasing speed

• Repeating the same workout until it feels solid

• Matching your running with your actual weekly calendar

These are the goals that create long-term momentum. 

When you start choosing goals that fit the rhythm of your real life, everything changes. Your confidence grows, you feel more capable, and running becomes something you look forward to rather than something you dread.

It’s the exact philosophy behind Run More, Quit Less, where we build habits from the ground up using realistic running goals instead of pressure-driven ones. 

How to Choose Your Own Realistic Running Goal

Ask yourself:

• What feels like a stretch but not a struggle?
• What can I truly fit into this week?
• What would feel rewarding, not punishing?
• What am I excited to repeat?

Choose a goal you can hit with about 80% consistency. That’s the sweet spot for habit building. Then build from there: slowly, intentionally, confidently.

Consistency > perfection. Every time.

Final Thoughts: Small Wins Build Big Runners

Switching from 10,000 steps to 7,500 taught me something that changed the way I approach running:

Goals don’t need to be bigger. They need to be realistic.

Realistic running goals: 

• remove pressure

• build momentum

• create confidence

• make running more enjoyable

• help you stick with it longer

The size of the goal doesn’t determine your success. Your consistency does. And realistic goals are what get you there. 

If you want help building realistic running goals and finally breaking the start–stop cycle, you might love Run More, Quit Less. It gives you the structure, support, and confidence to keep showing up, even on the busiest weeks.