Society today strives for achievement and success. The result is tremendous pressure to achieve life goals, large and small, in everything from finances to personal growth.
Amid all this drive for success that drives people to quit their jobs, it’s important to take some time and try to figure out what you want. Your goals in life should reflect who you want to be and how you want to live your life.
This post will help you clarify these life goals a little and give you some ideas for personal goals that you can incorporate into your life. So let’s get down to business.
What are life goals (and how to set them)
Before moving on to any specific goals, it is important to understand what life goals are and set good ones for them.
A life goal is a long-term goal that you hope to achieve over the course of your life. Because these goals are so great, you must have strong motivation and desire; otherwise, they will be difficult to achieve.
When it comes to creating and setting goals for yourself, follow these tips:
- Define all the different categories for which you want to set goals in your life – these can include career goals, business goals, fitness goals, financial goals, and professional goals.
- Visualize what you want your life to look like and use that to motivate your goals – once you have a clear vision, write down as many goals and objectives as possible.
- Use SMART Goals (SMART Goal Setting) – A SMART goal is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.
- Review your goals in about a week. After a while, sit down and review your goals. Probably not every goal will seem so attractive to you. However, the ones that stand out are the ones that you should keep.
- Make a plan for how you will achieve these goals – To achieve your goals, you need to make a detailed plan, taking into account that life can sometimes get hectic. Stick to this plan for the long term, and you will find it much easier to achieve your goals.
Now that you have a good understanding of planning and goal setting, let’s look at ten goals to achieve that can affect some of your own life goals.
10 awesome life goals to set and achieve
From earning a million dollars to learning a second language, you’re bound to find something on this list that will inspire you to pursue your own life goals.
Start a business
Do you hate working 9 to 5? Have you always wanted to be your boss and be flexible on your terms? If so, then your life goal that might interest you is starting a business.
It is true that starting a business takes a long time and you will have to overcome many obstacles, but the good news is that it is easier today than ever before. Plus, as a small business owner, you can control your contributions and keep more money in your pocket.
There are more business and money making opportunities online today than there have ever been in the past.
Buy your dream home and become the owner
Real estate is one of the most effective ways to accumulate wealth. Not only will you be able to take advantage of the appreciation benefits, but you will also be able to use leverage to increase your bottom line. Best of all, owning your dream home can also be part of your life goals!
Owning the perfect property for yourself and your family is one of the best goals in life because it means you will have your own place, which you can call home, where you can feel relaxed and comfortable. Sure, it takes time to save up the money you need to buy your dream home or build on an acre of land, but the resulting property is well worth it.
Learn a second (or third) language
Have you always wanted to travel the world and visit different countries? Are you also interested in different cultures of the world? In such a case, learning a new language can be a big goal that you can set for yourself.
Learning another language will not only give you valuable new skill, but it will also help you gain more opportunities (and maybe even help you achieve other goals). You can choose any language, but make sure you have enough motivation to follow through.
Become a mentor to someone else
There is a quote that goes something like this: “when you teach, you learn.” Of course, this applies to the academic world, but it is also true of real-life skills. So if you have something that you are very good at, consider making it your goal in life to mentor someone else in the subject.
Whether it’s rebuilding an investment property, public speaking or crafting beautiful home plans, find what you are good at, find someone willing to learn and share their knowledge with the world. You will not only feel better, but you will also make an impact on the lives of many people.
Run a marathon (or half marathon)
Running a marathon is not a short-term goal that can be achieved without the “act” mindset. It is difficult to follow through, you need to improve your physique and you will have to stay focused for a long time to succeed.
However, for the same reasons, the marathon is well worth it. By achieving this goal in life with hard work, you will develop willpower, self-confidence and feel happier than ever. Of course, it takes real dedication, but the rewards are well worth it.
Travel to other countries
When it comes to long-term goals, traveling the world is often at the top of most people’s lists and decisions. However, it is important not to be vague. If you want to travel the world, be sure to indicate exactly how many countries you want to visit (or better yet, write down which countries).
By setting this as one of your life goals and committing to achieving it, you are essentially forcing yourself to give up procrastination and giving your life a sense of urgency. After all, you have so much time at your disposal to travel the world.
Reach zero debt
Debt is one of the biggest constraints on human finances. Nowadays, many people die before they have paid their debts in full, leaving them to their families. Make the decision to prevent this from happening to you by achieving zero debt, one of your goals in life.
Not only will it motivate you to work hard and move up the career ladder, but it will also teach you savings and budgeting skills that will benefit you for a lifetime.
Earn a million dollars
If you are already out of debt, why not set a goal of making a million dollars! Achieving this amount may seem like an unrealistic goal, but many self-employed and business owners set it as a financial goal.
Achieving this goal will require responsibility, personal development, and a variety of problem-solving skills. But while it can be difficult, it is certainly achievable in your lifetime.
Lose weight (and not)
Some goals are more personal than others. For example, if you don’t like the way you look right now, consider making it your goal and SAVE weight loss.
Ask yourself what it will take to achieve this goal and if you are willing to put in the effort and sacrifice it needs. And that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to start exercising. Instead, you can lose weight quickly simply by eating healthier foods.
Create a personal goal for yourself and make a plan to achieve your desired weight (with timelines).
Drive or buy your dream car
For most people, a car is one of their favorite possessions. So why not make it your life’s goal to buy the car of your dreams? Of course, you will need to save money and be responsible all the way, but the end result is a beautiful car that you can use to discover new places and ride on open roads.
If you are a car addict or just a luxury goods lover, consider making “driving or buying” your dream car one of your goals in life!
Summary: Setting the Life Goals You Want to Achieve
Life is too short not to achieve your goals. However, the first step to achieving a goal is to identify a good goal.
This post has highlighted the definition of sensible life goals and ten life goals that you can note and use as inspiration. In short, you should consider the following ten goals:
- Start a business
- Build your dream home
- Learn a second (or third) language
- Become a mentor to someone else
- Run a marathon (or half marathon)
- Travel to at least X countries
- Reach zero debt
- Earn a million dollars
- Lose weight (and not)
- Drive or buy your dream car
So what are you waiting for? You’ve learned why life goals are so important, how to set achievable life goals, and the ten best life goals to take note of. So get out, start setting goals and live your life to the fullest. Your future will be grateful to you for this!
This post originally appeared on Savoteur.