Goals 107: Situational Goals

by Carl Raghavan, SSC | June 18, 2026

Sometimes in life, you have to do things that you don’t want to – even in training. Welcome to adulthood. So what do you do? Quit? Write the whole thing off? Better still, you wait for your “perfect” moment to start over – again? That, my friend, is a mistake.

The lifter who keeps moving forward – even imperfectly – is the one who wins. You don’t need a new program, or worse, switch to a new hobby just to restart the novice effect and feel like you’re making progress. What you need is a situational goal.

A situational goal is a temporary target that fits your current constraints while still moving you forward. It’s not optimal. It’s not ideal. But it’s productive. Believe it or not, something is better than nothing.

Example 1: Limited Time

You have to take a short business trip or you’re traveling with the family. You can’t run a full Starting Strength Linear Progression (SSLP) session. So what do you do? You go in, squat, and leave. One lift a day. That’s it. Or maybe squat and press one day, deadlift and bench another. Is it perfect? No. Is it enough to maintain or even make progress? For most of you reading this, yes. At minimum, it won’t be worse than doing nothing.

Example 2: Life Demands

A partner, parent, or loved one gets sick. Your time is no longer your own and training gets pushed down the priority list. Your situational goal becomes consistency. That might mean fewer and shorter sessions and more realistic expectations on what you can achieve. However you don’t stop, because stopping will actually set you back. Or worse putting training on the shelf to sit for six months to a year. Don’t do that.

Example 3: Bodyweight Constraints

You choose to stay at a lower bodyweight. This is a very common issue among SSNLP lifters. Being lighter directly limits recovery and therefore limits progress. If you’re not someone blessed to squat 700lb at 185lb bodyweight, remember that mass moves mass. So what now? If you refuse to gain weight? You have to slow the LP. You manage stress, accept smaller jumps, and accept slower progress. Just like you have accepted you don’t want to gain weight, you see how the acceptance circle works. You’re playing the long game now – welcome to being an artificial intermediate. Accept it and adjust accordingly.

Example 4: Injury Pivot

You’re chasing a big squat, then you sprain your ankle or blow out your knee skiing. That goal is temporarily off the table. So what do you do? You pivot. You push the bench, press, or deadlift and train what you can train. The mission doesn’t disappear – it adapts. You will be surprised what PRs and progress you can make in a pivot with a positive attitude and a consistent approach to push the PRs of what can be trained.

Example 5: Older Lifter

You’re no longer 20. Trying to run a full Starting Strength program as written – adding weight every session, gaining bodyweight aggressively, and pushing recovery to the limit – might not be realistic or wise. As Daniel Glover says, “I’m too old for this shit.” Especially if you’re 60 or older, or have had serious health issues. So what do you do? Quit? The goal obviously shifts from pure strength to healthy aging. That might mean smaller weight jumps, fewer training days. You’re not chasing the person you were 40 years ago. You’re building the strongest version of yourself right now, so you can live independently, move well, and stay capable. That’s the real goal in life – staving off death. Living on your own terms. Ask Rip.

My Final Point

Life will interfere. I guarantee it. It always does. Time is undefeated, and it catches up to us all. So you adapt. Situational goals are part of the bigger picture – a way to keep making progress even when conditions aren’t ideal. When the seas are rough and the winds are pushing against you, don’t quit, simply adjust your course. Your job is not to wait. Observe your situation, accept it, and set a goal that fits right here, right now. Because progress made in imperfect conditions is just part of life in the weight room.