2026 Goals
By Corey Young
This collective New Year’s goal setting has become somewhat of a regular occurrence. So again, this year I’ll propose a few goals to challenge us to grow and improve as shooters, competitors, and friends.
Setting measurable and attainable goals is a well-known helpful technique that can be used in all areas of life. Whether your goals are physical, spiritual, or professional in nature; goals focus our time and energy in critical areas to accelerate the pace of change.
As a reminder, 2025’s goals were:
1. Shoot More
2. Take a Class
3. Have MORE Fun
4. Reconnect with you Squad
5. Be a Good Ambassador
Did you accomplish them? I did not and that’s ok. I’ll still keep pushing towards them this year and you can too! Sometimes the biggest lessons are learned through failure. However, I stilled learned a lot in 2025 and that is how you improve; through consistent, good, positive choices. In other words, you improve through disciplined action.
I propose the following goals for 2026:
1. Fail
Fail at something, intentionally. Set a stretch goal and push yourself to meet it. It doesn’t have to even be shooting related. Try to hit that sub-7-minute mile. Push to get your drawn from concealment under 1.5 seconds. Set an environment to fail safely and drive towards that. Use the failure to drive growth, reflection and self-improvement.
2. Shoot Something New
Not a new gun, but a new event or style of shooting. Like Run N Gun style matches? There are tons all around the country, pick one and try it out. There is a list at the bottom of the page here: Events. Alternatively, you could try a different style of competition. Try IDPA if you conceal carry. Try an NRL Hunter match or a local 3-gun style competition. There are tons of ways to exercise your 2nd Amendment rights, support the shooting sports and grow the community.
3. Simplify & Prioritize
There are a ton of competing priorities in life all vying for our time, attention and money. Decide what’s important and apply your focus there. As it pertains to shooting, decide why you own firearms and prioritize your resources appropriately. Sell stuff you don’t use. Simplify your set-ups. Prioritize having fewer, nicer, more purposeful things.
4. Expand Your Mind
Your mind is your greatest weapon. Train it. Go read a book, learn a new skill or study a foreign language. Your mind is a muscle and just like all your other muscles if you don’t train it purposefully, it will atrophy. 2026 is America’s
250th Anniversary. What a great opportunity to read what the Founding Father’s wrote and expand your understanding of American history.
5. Be a Good Ambassador
Yep, carrying this over from last year again. Rule #1 always applies; Don’t be a Jerk! Be a friendly and welcoming ambassador for the sport and for a responsibly armed population.
Just like last year, several of these can be accomplished simultaneously. For example, goals 1 and 2 can be completed at same time if you choose to try a new competition style you know you’ll struggle with; PRS for example. How many can you accomplish this year?
Happy New Year! Be safe, be good and go train.
- Corey B. Young