Essential Tips for Setting Achievable Long-Term Goals

Broadly speaking, goals are defined as the desired states we seek to obtain, maintain, or avoid (Nair, 2003).

Long-term goals can be defined as goals that need a more extended period.

For example, they could be goals related to our education, career, relationships, fitness, etc. Long-term goals require planning and sustained effort, so that they can be trickier than shorter-term goals.

Here are some tips to get you started.

How to Reach Long-Term Goals

1. Set specific and challenging goals. We achieve more by setting specific goals that are bigger or more challenging but are manageable. If we set manageable goals, we often achieve less than possible because we must push ourselves harder.

2. Set meaningful goals. Reaching goals that you care about is more accessible than reaching goals you do not care about. So, clarifying what you care about right from the start is helpful.

3. Set realistic goals. It can be tricky to know just how much you can achieve. If you do not believe in yourself, you might set your goals too low and miss out on doing great things. If you believe in your ability to manifest something, you are more likely to persist until you do. So, take some time to dream big and then put on your reality cap to reflect on what is possible.

4. Commit to your goal. We silly humans do not like to disappoint ourselves or others. So, when we commit to something, we are more likely to do it, especially if we share the commitment with other people.

5. Create a feedback cycle. Feedback can be helpful so that you know how well you are doing (Latham & Locke, 2007). Even if you do not have someone to provide feedback, you can still put systems in place to give yourself feedback. In other words, you could track your progress toward your goal. That way, you will know how you are doing.

Align Long-Term Goals with Core Needs

Researchers suggest that we are more motivated to fulfill core needs like autonomy, relatedness, and competence (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999).

So, when setting long-term goals, identify how each goal relates to a core need.

For example, 'starting your own business' might relate to autonomy because you can work on what you want. 'Finding love' might relate to relatedness.

Moreover, 'getting a promotion' might relate to competence.

By identifying how your goals relate to your needs, you will better understand that what you strive for will make you feel good once you get there.

Phases of Long-Term Goal Pursuit

The long-term goal achievement process includes:

• Initiation. Getting started on the goal.
• Maintenance. Continuing to work on the goal and execute actions that lead to achieving the goal.
• Persistence. Overcoming challenges, setbacks, and emotional issues like exhaustion, boredom, or dissatisfaction.
• Revision. Periodic review of the intent to track progress, revise plans, and reevaluate the purpose (Sniehotta et al., 2005).

Sticking to Your Goals

The thing about long-term goals is that they are ... well ... long.

That means they require dedication, determination, and persistence. They need to overcome both tangible obstacles and emotional obstacles.

So, some have suggested that in addition to creating an action plan (a plan for what you will do), it can be helpful to have a coping strategy (Sniehotta et al., 2005).

Here are some tips:

Clarify possible challenges.

Anticipating the situations that will slow or stall your progress toward the goal can help you develop a plan for responding effectively.

Then, creating "if-then" statements for each potential obstacle can help you more easily overcome it.

For example, if I am exhausted and need a nap during the time I have set aside for my goal, it is OK because I have a backup time set up that I only use when I need it.

Think about how to overcome distraction.

The most common obstacle is distraction. Some parts of our long-term goal could be more varied and complicated.

Alternatively, there are just a lot of distractions in our lives.

That is why deciding to minimize distractions can be helpful.

For example, we can download an app to pause our emails, log ourselves out of social media, or put a time limit on our internet time. Alternatively, we could benefit from headphones to drown out noise.

Alternatively, we may need snacks nearby so we do not have to run out to get something. Think about what distracts you and how you might overcome these things.

Know your challenges.

Take some time to think about what has stopped you from reaching past goals. Write these down, and then brainstorm what you will do. Be specific (say more than "I will figure it out!").

For example, if low self-confidence often keeps you from reaching your goals, you could use self-love exercises when you find you are getting down on yourself. By having specific plans in place to cope with your unique difficulties, you can increase your chances of success.

References

• Nair, K. S. (2003). Life goals: the concept and its relevance to rehabilitation. Clinical Rehabilitation, 17(2), 192–202.
• Latham, G. P., & Locke, E. A. (2007). New developments in and directions for goal-setting research. European Psychologist, 12(4), 290–300.
• Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: the self-concordance model—Journal of personality and social psychology, 76(3), 482.
• Sniehotta, F. F., Schwarzer, R., Scholz, U., & Schüz, B. (2005). Action planning and coping planning for long‐term lifestyle change: theory and assessment. European Journal of Social Psychology, 35(4), 565-576.