Why both short and long term goals are important

Setting goals is important in all aspects of your life. Whether it’s a health and fitness goal, a financial target, or a relationship aspiration, goal setting is linked to higher achievement.

When you have a goal, it sets a focus. You can lay out a set of actionable steps that will eventually lead you towards your goal. Having something to work towards is a key driver of motivation. Without a goal, you might lack direction or struggle to figure out the next steps.

Goal setting needs to involve both short-term and long-term aspirations.  

It’s great to know where you’d like to be in the next 10 years but where do you want to be in the next 10 months or even in the next 10 weeks? Your long-term goals are usually much bigger and they might not seem fully attainable at this stage. But that’s okay! That’s why they are long-term goals.

Your long-term goals define what you want in your future. Your short-terms goals are your steps to get there. Setting smaller goals that are more attainable at this present moment is great to keep you motivated. It’s also much easier to monitor your progress with shorter goals. You can identify what works well and what might need changing. Any changes that you make can shape your long-term goals, too.

Writing your goals down is a great way to keep your goals at the forefront of your mind and this will help to keep you on track. This is applicable to both short and long-term goals. Take time to review them on a regular basis to check if you are on track or need to make modifications.