How to set life goals

Make a great start with these 11 examples of awesome life goals

Sometimes it can seem that society is all about achieving and succeeding (or at least being perceived that way, sometimes just on social media!). As a result, some of us might feel pressure to accomplish life goals, big and small, in everything from finances to personal growth.

Amid all this, it’s essential to take time and try to figure out what you want. Your life goals should reflect who you want to be and how you want to live your life, which is not necessarily how society wants you to live or what your friends or family may want!

The information below should help you clarify those life goals a little and give you some ideas for personal goals that you may or may not want to incorporate into your own life.

What are life goals?

Before getting into some specific goals, it’s essential to understand what life goals are and how to set good ones.

A life goal is a long-term goal that you hope to achieve in your lifetime. Because these goals are so big, you must have strong motivation and desire behind them; otherwise, they will be tough to achieve.

When it comes to creating and setting goals for yourself, consider following these tips:

• Identify all the different categories you want to be setting goals for in your life. These could include career, business, health, financial, and educational.
• 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.
• Utilise SMART goals. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
• After your first draft, review your goals after a week or so. After some time has passed, sit back down and review your goals. It’s likely that not every purpose will seem so appealing to you. The ones that stick out are the ones that you should keep.
• Build a plan for how you’ll accomplish these goals. To reach your goals, you’ll need to build a detailed plan that considers life can sometimes get messy. Commit to this plan for the long-term and you’ll find that achieving goals is that much easier.
• Now that you have a good idea of planning and goalsetting, let’s look at eleven goals to achieve that might inform some of your own.

11 awesome life goals to set and get to work on

1. Buy your first home, or dream home

Real estate is one of the most potent ways to build wealth. Not only do you get to take advantage of appreciation, but you also get to use leverage (borrowing) to boost your returns. The best part: owning a first home or 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’ll have your very own place to call home where you can feel relaxed and comfortable. Of course, it takes time to save up the required money to purchase or build your dream home, but the resulting ownership is worth it.

2. Become a mentor

“When you teach, you learn.” This applies to the academic world, but it’s also true of real-world skills. So, if you have something that you’re good at, consider making it a life goal for yourself to mentor someone else in the subject.

Whether it’s fixing real estate investment properties, weaving, public speaking, music, or designing beautiful house plans, find something you’re skilled at, find someone willing to learn and share your knowledge with the world. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll also impact many people’s lives.

3. Learn another language

Have you always wanted to travel the world and visit different countries? Are you also interested in all the different cultures around the globe? If so, learning a new language might be a big goal you can set for yourself.

Mastering another language will not only provide you with a valuable new skill, but it will also help you get more opportunities (and maybe even help you achieve other goals).

4. Run a Marathon (or Half Marathon)

Running a marathon is not some short-term goal that you can achieve without a “take action” mindset. It’s hard to follow through with, you’ll need to improve your physique, and you’ll have to stay focused for a long time to succeed.

However, it’s for these very same reasons that running a marathon is so worth it. By achieving this life goal through hard work, you’ll build willpower, self-confidence and feel happier than you ever have. Of course, it takes real dedication, but the reward is well worth the commitment.

5. Travel

Traveling the world is often at the top of most people’s lists and resolutions. It’s essential, however, not to be vague. If you want to travel the world, make sure to list exactly how many countries you want to visit (and even better, write down exactly which countries those are).

By setting this as one of your life goals and committing to achieving it, you’re essentially forcing yourself out of procrastination and giving your life a sense of urgency. After all, you only have so much time at your disposal to travel the world with.

Don’t want to explore overseas for whatever reason? Fortunately we live in one of the most amazing travel destinations worldwide, so maybe it’s time to consider what this website suggested are New Zealand's top 24 travel destinations.

6. Build a big investment fund, or repay all debt

Getting your finances straight is one of the best long-term moves you can make. This sort of goal could take a few different forms, maybe including:

• Repaying debt. Debt is one of the biggest things holding many people’s finances back. Not only will this motivate you to work hard and progress in your career, but it will also teach you saving and budgeting skills that will benefit you for life.
• Invest for the future. This could vary depending on your age and stage of life. Some might have an investment goal related to early retirement or (especially for younger readers) could be focused on saving a home deposit. Some may want to build passive income while others might want to invest enough to pay for their children’s education, or to buy a Bach.

7. Start a business

Sick of working a 9-5? Want to challenge yourself or add a bit more value to the world? Have you always wanted to be your boss and work flexible hours on your terms? If so, a life goal that might appeal to you is starting a business.

It’s true, starting a business is time-consuming, and you’ll need to overcome many obstacles, but the good news is that it’s easier today than ever before. In addition, being a small business owner, you can control the income and keep more money in your pocket.

There are more opportunities online today for businesses and money-making than there ever has been in the past.

8. Drive or Buy Your Dream Car

For most people, their car is one of their most beloved possessions. So why not make it a goal in life to buy your dream car? Just like many of the things on this list, you’ll need to save up money and stay accountable along the way, but the result is that you’ll have a beautiful vehicle to discover new places and ride down the open roads.

If you’re a car junkie or even just a lover of luxury items, consider making “driving or buying” your dream car one of your life goals!

9. A relationship goal

Maybe you could better develop a friendship, family, or relationship?

Some examples of goals with a partner might be:

1. Put each other first
2. Set regular date nights
3. Set aside deliberate alone time, without distractions or devices
4. Do something new together
5. Make regular time to talk about the relationship
6. Plan a trip away

While family goals might be:

1. Have meals together
2. Do a community or charitable project together
3. Visit extended family
4. Take a family portrait
5. Plan a holiday
6. Work on home projects
7. Declutter your home
8. Plan family fun days
9. Build family financial literacy

You could also set similar goals regarding colleagues, friends, or family.

10. Become a millionaire

Why not make a goal to make a million dollars?

Achieving this goal will require accountability, personal development, and lots of problem-solving skills. Though it might be hard, it’s undoubtedly attainable in your lifetime.

11. Get in shape

Some goals are more personal than others. For example, if you’re not happy with how you look right now, you might make it a life goal to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Ask yourself what it will take to achieve this goal and whether you’re willing to put in the work and sacrifice necessary. And, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to start working out. Instead, you can usually quickly lose weight simply by eating healthier.

The bottom line: set awesome goals for yourself

Depending on your starting point, some of the goals above might take years of focused effort to achieve, while others can happen quickly. Whatever the case, the first step to achieving anything is always setting your mind to it. After that, create a personal target for yourself and make a plan (with deadlines) to achieve your desired end goal.

If you'd like to book an initial consult with a trained professional who can help you set and achieve your financial goals, then get in touch.