The Beginners Guide to Goal Setting

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Setting and achieving goals doesn’t have to be incredibly difficult. Setting goals is relatively simple; if you can learn consistency, so is reaching them. So what is the best way to set and reach your goals when just starting? 

You can set goals by choosing goals that are important to you, creating a plan to achieve those goals, and staying consistent. The biggest key to successfully reaching your goals is staying consistent even when you don’t feel like it and focusing on only a few goals at once. 

In the rest of this article, I will discuss why you need to set goals and the 10-step process for achieving those goals. Plus, I will give a detailed breakdown of the function of long and short-term goals. So if you want to learn more about setting successful goals, read on. 

Why Setting Goals is Important

Setting goals is essential because it provides a map for success in your life. Without goals, it’s easy to become distracted or lose sight of the bigger picture.

Scientific evidence shows that people who set goals are more likely to reach those milestones. Plus, they tend to be more productive in their daily lives. 

Goal setting is also important because it:

• Helps you stay motivated
• Gives you a life plan to follow
• Aids in creating new and lasting habits.
• Boosts your self-esteem and confidence when you reach a goal
• Helps you manage your expectations
• Aids in self-mastery
• Increases productivity
• Creates a more positive mindset

This list contains just a few of the many benefits of setting goals. Learning to set goals is incredibly important, primarily if you weren’t taught how to set goals as a child.

The earlier you start goal setting, the better off you will be. However, it’s never too late to learn how to create a better life for yourself. 

How to Set Achievable Goals

Anyone can set a goal; the hard part is learning to stick with a goal until you reach it. Of course, some goals will be harder to reach than others, which is why setting achievable goals for yourself is SO important. 

So what are the simplest steps for setting achievable goals? 

1. Find Your “Why” 

First, you need to find your “why” by deciding the reason behind your goals. If you wish to reach your goals, you’ll need a strong motivator to achieve them.

The goals you set need to be vital to you, or you won’t put in the effort to reach those goals. 

If you still aren’t sure about how to find your “why,” ask yourself important questions like:

• How important is this goal to me?
• Does this goal excite me?
• Does this goal aid in reaching my dream life?
• What will drive me to reach this goal?

An example of a “why” is: “My why is to be financially sufficient and live a peaceful life,” so you would then set goals that support this “why.”

You can have several “whys” in life.

It’s just important to know the drive behind the goals you set as it is to make them in the first place. Goals that are important to you are more likely to be reached. 

2. Understand Long-Term Goals vs. Short-Term Goals

Next, it’s essential to understand the difference between long-term and short-term goals. Generally, when you set goals, they will need to be a mix of short- and long-term goals, as these goal types work very well together. 

What is a Long Term Goal? 

A long-term goal is a goal that is larger and will take more time to complete. An example of a long-term goal would be wanting to build your dream house. Building your dream house the moment you set the goal isn’t feasible since the goal is quite large, but with careful planning, you can eventually reach it.

Over time you will be able to reach this goal, but it will need to be broken down into smaller, more actionable steps known as short-term goals.

What is a Short-Term Goal? 

A short-term goal is a goal that can be accomplished in a short amount of time, generally within a small time frame (typically under 6 months) or by completing a specific task.

Short-term goals are often paired with long-term goals because you CAN’T accomplish long-term goals without short-term ones. 

For example, if your long-term goal is to build your dream house, one of your short-term goals might be to get preapproved for a loan or to draw up the house design plans.

Of course, these short-term goals must be accomplished to complete the larger one, but they are also crucial as individual goals. 

3. Set Goals That Are S.M.A.R.T

Another critical step in setting achievable goals is setting goals that are S.M.A.R.T. George Doran was the original creator of S.M.A.R.T goals in 1981.

This form of goal setting is highly effective because it forces you to run your goals through a goal-checking system before setting them. 

S.M.A.R.T goals stand for:

• Specific. 
• Measurable.
• Achievable.
• Relevant.
• Time-bound. 

Ensuring your goals are specific and achievable within a set time frame is incredibly important. So let’s break down what each portion of the S.M.A.R.T acronym stands for. 

Setting Specific Goals 

Specific goals are essential because vague goals very rarely get accomplished. Plus, goals that aren’t very specific are challenging to follow.

Additionally, when goals aren’t specific, they can feel overwhelming, and you won’t know where to start. 

An example of a vague goal would be “I want to be successful.” Wanting success is a great goal, but how are you supposed to get there? What does success mean to you?

Instead of setting a goal like “I want to be successful,” you should go one step further and set a goal that would make you feel successful, like “I want to start my own business.” 

The new goal is clear and concise, and you can easily create steps to reach this specific goal. 

Setting Measurable Goals 

Measurable means your goals can easily be tracked and evaluated by their progress. For example, an immeasurable goal is disheartening.

On the other hand, a goal that you can see is progressing toward your long-term goals keeps you motivated.

Plus, reaching a goal with measurable progress is far more manageable. 

An example of a measurable goal would be, “I want to pass my science exam with an A.” This goal can easily be broken down and the success measured.

You can create steps to reach this goal, and when you get your exam back, you can easily tell how well you did based on your grade. 

Any goal you set needs a way to measure the goal’s progress easily. 

Setting Achievable Goals 

When a goal is achievable, there is a clear path to the goal. Achievable goals are essential because they provide a clear path to the finish line of that goal.

An example of an achievable goal would be, “I want to remodel my kitchen by the end of February.” This precise goal can easily be accomplished once broken down into short-term goals. 

An example of a goal that is less achievable would be “I want to be an astronaut and visit outer space.” This goal isn’t achievable for most, as astronauts require extra education and undergo a rigorous vetting process before visiting space.

So this goal would be less achievable, though, with the proper steps, it could be realistic for some. 

Setting Relevant Goals 

Goals that are relevant support your other goals and the overall vision for your life. Whenever you set a goal, it should be relevant to where you want to see yourself in the future.

For example, a relevant goal would align with your other goals. 

So if you want to travel and live abroad, your current goals should pertain to making travel happen rather than putting down roots. 

Setting Time-Bound Goals 

Time-bound goals are essential because goals without a timeframe often don’t get accomplished.

Setting a time frame for your goals ensures that you reach your goals promptly so you can focus on new goals. 

So whenever you set a goal, a time frame should ALWAYS accompany it. However, it’s essential to ensure that the time frame is realistic. 

4. Create a Goal Action Plan 

Once you have set your S.M.A.R.T goals, it’s essential to create an action plan for those goals. Goals without a plan are just wishful thinking. Therefore, having an action plan with specific steps for how you will accomplish them is essential. 

So how can you create an action plan without feeling too overwhelmed?

Your action plan should include your larger long-term goals, which you have broken down into short-term goals. Breaking down significant goals makes them feel less overwhelming.

For example, if your goal is to publish a book, one of your short-term goals would be to finish writing the book or to research an editor. 

Each goal needs to be broken down into smaller, more actionable steps to be reached more easily. 

5. Set an Achievable Amount of Goals  

Another important step in goal setting is not to overdo it.

It’s easy to go overboard when you’re in a goal-setting mood, but setting too many goals at once can harm your productivity and leave you feeling disheartened/overwhelmed. 

Instead, you should focus on your most important and largest goals for the year, accompanied by several smaller ones.

If you happen to reach a goal early or decide it no longer fits your life plan, reevaluating your goals and setting new ones is always an option.

Additionally, if you want to set lots of big goals at once, a great way to do this is to create a 5 Year Plan and spread those goals out over time.

A plan for the next 5 years of your life is essential to ensure you reach the long-term goals that matter to you. 

6. Write Your Goals Down 

A trick for keeping your goals at the forefront of your mind is to write them down. Written goals can help you solidify them and have someplace to reference them later.

A study by Harvard students also shows that those who write down their goals can accomplish more. 

Writing down goals is a great tool, and you can easily post your goals somewhere you can see them often. However, setting goals can be a little overwhelming if you don’t know where to start or how to create an action plan for them, which is why I created an in-depth Goal Planner.

This goal planner is fantastic because it goes over the different goal categories in life like:

• Personal goals.
• Fitness goals.
• Career goals.
• Financial goals.
• Family goals.
• Service goals. 

The planner also includes a weekly and daily task list to help you work on your weekly goals. This goal planner also includes my 5-Year Plan to help you stay on track to reach your biggest life goals.

So if you’re interested in a good planner to write your goals in, this one is perfect because it can easily be printed for immediate use. 

7. Visualize Your Success 

Unfortunately, visualizing your success is often overlooked when setting goals. However, visualization is a very powerful tool and is a great way to ensure you stay focused on your goals.

If you have set a goal, chances are the outcome is extremely desirable to you. Focusing on what your life will look like once the goal is completed is a powerful motivator. 

8. Create a Goal-Oriented Mindset 

Another critical step to reaching your goals is to have a good mindset. Goal-oriented mindsets allow you to accomplish your goals more efficiently and keep yourself motivated.

Additionally, those with positive mindsets develop a better work ethic and stress-coping skills. No one wakes up with a goal-oriented mindset; you must create one. 

So what exactly makes up a goal-oriented mindset? 

A goal-oriented mindset is just a positive mindset. The ability to stay positive when things get tough is essential to reaching meaningful goals.

For example, someone with a positive mindset will view goal setbacks as challenges or learning experiences. In contrast, someone who is less goal-minded will view the setback as a failure or a loss. 

If you don’t currently have a goal-oriented mindset, don’t fret, one can easily be created with consistency.

However, retraining your brain to become more positive takes time and practice. An excellent exercise for rewiring your brain to be more positive is to recite 3 positive things for every 1 negative thing you think.

Over time, you will begin to phase out most negative self-talk. 

9. Learn to Be Productive and Not Busy 

There is a vast difference between productivity and busy work. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to spot the difference sometimes. As I previously said, you shouldn’t set too many goals, as overloading your routine can cause chaos.

Additionally, when creating short-term goals for your longer ones, it’s essential to create goals that work for you. 

Whenever you set a goal, it should move you toward your overall life goal and be accomplishable.

Additionally, you shouldn’t overload your days with menial tasks that aren’t required to reach your goals. Too much busy work will lead to burnout and harm your goal progress. 

10. Stay Consistent 

Finally, to reach any goal, you HAVE to stay consistent. A goal without consistency is seldom accomplished. It’s important to note that you’re not always feeling like being productive or taking the steps necessary to reach your goals. You may never “feel like it.” 

However, those great at reaching goals learn to push themselves to do, even when they don’t “feel like it.” 

If you struggle with getting the momentum to do things, I recommend reading Mel Robbins The 5 Second Rule (available on Amazon). This book is fantastic because it gives you the tools to accomplish your goals even when you don’t feel like it.

The 5-second rule is applicable in so many facets of your life and will help you to become more consistent with your goals. 

Final Thoughts 

Setting goals you can achieve doesn’t have to be incredibly complicated or stressful. The MOST significant thing you can do to reach your goals is to stay consistent.

All the other steps are excellent tools to get there more quickly, keep you on track, and ensure you stay motivated. 

So set some goals and start working on creating your dream life. You’ve got this! Start today; you will be so glad that you did. 

Have a bright day!