Loop vs Goal
The repeating mechanism that keeps work running, versus the target that work is actually for
Loop
The mechanism: a task that repeats, on a fixed interval or self-paced, until a stop condition tells it to end. A loop says nothing on its own about what success looks like, only that the same cycle runs again.
Goal
The target: an objective tracked over time, possibly across many sessions, that defines what 'done' actually means. A goal can be pursued with a loop, but doesn't require one, a single long session working straight through can also chase a goal.
Which one do you actually need
Loop answers how work repeats. Goal answers what the repeating, or even non-repeating, work is actually trying to reach. A loop with no real goal or stop condition just runs indefinitely without a way to know it's finished, a goal pursued with no loop and no tracked state just relies on one session doing everything in a single pass.