Goals Change. Reasons Endure.

What's the most overlooked part of conversations about goals in fencing?

It's not how ambitious they are. It's not whether they're realistic. And it's not even whether you hit them.

It's what happens: when you don't hit them, or sometimes even when you do.

I recently earned my A rating and found myself with the same question I had when I first started fencing...what's my reason for staying engaged?

For a little context, before fencing, I was a runner.

I was laser-focused on very clear, discrete goals: run a certain 5K time, qualify for New Englands, earn the chance to race in college. I hit a lot of them, and there were real benefits—physically and mentally. Structure, discipline, progress. All the good stuff that comes from committing to a pursuit and taking it seriously.

But eventually, I hit my limits.

Sometimes it was over-training. Sometimes it was over-committing at the expense of other parts of life. You could call it burnout, but what surprised me most was this: I didn't want to stop running. I just wanted to enjoy it the way I used to.

That moment is familiar to a lot of competitive athletes, regardless of sport. You work hard, you chase outcomes, and at some point the cost starts to outweigh the return. What you're left with isn't a lack of motivation—it's a desire for something more sustainable.

What I learned from that experience is a distinction I still share with my students, even 20 years later.

Healthy engagement in a sport needs two motivations.

The first is obvious: goals. Goals matter. They give direction, spur progress, and create opportunities for growth and enrichment.

The second is often overlooked: a baseline reason for being involved that exists independent of performance.

For me, in fencing, that reason is a genuine appreciation for everything I get from being part of the community—shared effort, problem-solving, teaching, learning, and staying connected to something that's shaped a big part of my life.

Your reason might be different. And that's the point.

As you set goals—especially heading into a new year—it's worth taking a moment to identify both. Not just what you're trying to achieve, but why you want this sport in your life at all. That foundation is what makes goal-setting healthier, more flexible, and far more durable over time.