Three goal types and their benefits and challenges

In this post you’ll learn about three goal types and the top three ways to achieve more of the goals you set. These goal types describe different levels and each have their unique benefits and challenges.

The three goal types are:

 

Short-term goals.
These are goals you want to achieve soon, typically in a period under 12 months. That could be today, this week, this month or this year. Example: I want to buy a boat

Long-term goals.
These are longer, often multi-year goals that depend on achieving related short-term goals (and possibly other long-term goals too). Example: I want to create a foundation for marginalised communities

Lifetime goals.
These are goals that encompass your highest sense of self. They describe the things you dream to have, be, do or contribute. Example: I want to spend my 70th birthday surrounded by my family

 
 
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Short-term goals

 
 
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How to achieve them

  1. Make them S.M.A.R.T – decide what you want, when you want it and how you’ll know if you get it

  2. Break your goals down to-the-now. What’s the best thing you can do right now to move towards your goal?

  3. Track your progress and course correct where necessary. Stick it to until you get there

 
 
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Benefits

  1. Immediate feedback

  2. Clear next actions

  3. Relatively quick results

 
 
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Challenges

  1. Susceptible to self-sabotage if goals aren’t in alignment to values

  2. Can be difficult to figure out priorities

  3. Can be difficult to stay consistent

 
 

Long-term goals

 
 
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How to achieve them:

  1. Have a clear why. Go beyond describing what you want and understand why you want it

  2. Think backwards from the end goal. 

  3. Evaluate periodically. Check in on your commitment to the goal and progress made to make sure you still want it and that you’re moving in the right direction

 
 
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Benefits:

  1. Sense of purpose provides powerful motivation

  2. Expands scope of what’s possible

  3. Creates a bridge between someday that might happen to one day that will happen

 
 
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Challenges:

  1. Susceptible to self-sabotage if goals aren’t in alignment to values

  2. Can’t rely on willpower alone

  3. Ability to achieve without the support of others is limited

 
 
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Lifetime goals

 
 
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How to achieve them:

  1. Define your 100 lifetime goals.

  2. Know your Ikigai. AKA: your reason for being. Why do you get up in the morning?

  1. Take a 10,000 ft view. Have a holistic view of who and where you are relative to who and where you want to be

 
 
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Benefits:

  1. Engages the furthest reaches of your imagination

  2. Shifts your paradigm, you work off a different set of rules of what you’re capable of

  1. Exposes the most valuable aspect of goal achievement – who you become

 
 
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Challenges:

  1. The further away in the future something is, the less likely we are to value it

  2. Can be difficult to visualise

  3. Effective self-assessment can be difficult to do objectively

 

How can I achieve goals at all three levels?

First things first, decide what you want. The first step is to define your goals at each level. With your life goals and long-term goals in hand, you can roll up your sleeves and get to work on making the short-term goals that will get you there happen!

When it comes to setting and achieving your short-term goals, the best approach is whichever approach you’re most likely to stick with.

Generally the best option is the simplest and most un-intimidating one. That’s why we built Your Perfect Year, the SIMPLEST short-term goal setting and achievement system you’ll find.

Your Perfect Year is based on well-evidenced behavioural and scientific learnings, but packaged in a template that’s so easy to use, it feels like cheating 🤭

Actionable InsightsRamo Phalatsigoals