Introducing the Goal 13 Challenge

By Founder Annie B. Carter

At Goal 13, we talk a lot about character, but character is not just something we discuss. It is something we practice every day. Character grows through repeated habits.

That is why each month we will introduce a new Goal 13 Challenge designed to encourage all of us to think about what character looks like in action.

For our first challenge, we are starting with something simple: 13 intentional minutes each day. The idea is to use those 13 minutes to begin building one positive habit—something that helps you grow, connect, serve, reflect, or take better care of yourself and others.

Maybe it is reading, journaling, exercising, practicing gratitude, calling someone you care about, helping another person, or simply putting your phone away and being fully present for a friend or family member. The activity matters less than the commitment to make those 13 minutes intentional.

We also hope you will share the challenge with the people around you. Talk as a family about how each person will spend their 13 minutes. Ask a friend or teammate what habit they want to build. Check in with one another and talk about what you are learning along the way.

Our hope is that the Goal 13 Challenge becomes more than just a monthly activity. We want it to spark conversations, encourage reflection, and remind all of us that small choices, repeated consistently, help shape who we become.

Character is built over time, through the choices we make when no one is watching and through the way we show up for others.

So this month, start small. Choose your 13 minutes. Choose your habit. Invite someone to join you. What will you do with your 13 minutes?

— Annie B. Carter
Founder & Executive Director
Goal 13 Foundation