Examples of Personal Goals
Why Personal Goals?
It’s very common for businesses of all sizes to set goals for business, and many companies also set goals on a team or personal level.
When you set goals, there is a clear objective to achieve. It provides direction, increases motivation, and gives a sense of purpose. It also gives companies something to measure progress and growth against.
And it’s the same for our personal lives. Outside of work, we have a lot of different goals we want to achieve: get fit, achieve financial independence, travel, improve relationships, and so on.
We set our personal goals so we progress and grow, and with each goal achieved, we get closer to our ideal life.
Types of Personal Goals
These are the most common types of personal goals everyone can start with:
Health and Fitness Goals
Most of us will think about health goals first. We want to look good for our summer holidays and we want to live long, healthy lives. Better eating habits, drinking more water, losing weight, and running a marathon are all classic health goals.
Career and Professional Goals
We spend most of our lives working. So having clear career and professional growth goals is essential.
Educational Goals
Whether it's for your hobby or career, we can’t progress without learning new skills.
Relationship Goals
Building and maintaining personal relationships.
Financial Goals
Saving for retirement, eliminating debt, or investing in real estate. Who doesn’t want financial freedom?
Personal Development Goals
Personal growth includes reading more books, developing a meditation practice, or learning a new language.
How to Set Personal Goals
There will be a full article about personal goals, but before we actually get to some real examples, it’s important to understand, at least vaguely, the process of setting personal goals.
According to data from fitness and health tracking platforms, users who set specific fitness goals (like running a certain distance or losing a specific amount of weight) are more likely to improve their health outcomes compared to those who do not set any goals.
People who set goals are 10 times more likely to succeed. Goal specificity and commitment are key factors in this success.
Studies in educational settings show that students who set specific academic goals are more likely to excel in their studies.
As you can already guess, the common pattern suggests that the important part of goal setting is being ‘specific’.
We have two most common goal-setting patterns: SMART and OKRs.
With OKRs, you set the main objective and the key results. The usual pattern is to set a high-level objective, something ambitious like ‘Improve Health by Losing Weight’, and then you set some key results (usually three, but it can be as many as you want) which are more specific, like:
Lose 5 kg in the next 3 months.
Reduce daily calorie intake by 500 calories from current levels.
Increase physical activity to include at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week.
These key results support the main objective by providing clear, actionable steps.
They should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, so basically SMART goals.
SMART goals are very specific and don’t give you any room for adjustments. You either achieve the goal or you need to set a new one.
It would look something like this:
I will lose 10 kg in the next 5 months by eliminating fast food from my diet, engaging in daily 30-minute cardio sessions, and tracking my progress with weekly weigh-ins and a daily journal.
Most people recommend SMART goals, but I prefer to use a mixture of both SMART and OKRs as it gives you more freedom to craft a suitable plan.
However, if you are starting with goal planning, to make it simple, setting a few SMART goals might be easier and more efficient.
It’s important to be very specific about your goals, make them challenging but achievable, and set up a tracking process straight away. If you don’t track your progress or if the goal is too difficult to achieve, it will be easy to lose motivation and give up.
Examples of SMART Personal Goals
Health and Fitness Goals
Run 5 kilometers continuously in 3 months by following a structured running program three times a week.
This goal follows the SMART framework. Here is how you build the goal:
Specific: I want to improve my cardiovascular fitness.
Measurable: I aim to run 5 kilometers without stopping.
Achievable: I will follow a beginner’s running program that includes three runs per week.
Relevant: Improving my running distance will help me prepare for a 5K race and enhance my overall fitness.
Time-bound: I will achieve this within 3 months.
Complete 50 consecutive push-ups in 4 months by following a progressive training plan to increase upper body strength.
Eat five servings of vegetables daily for the next 30 days by incorporating a serving of vegetables into each meal to improve nutrient intake and maintain a healthy weight.
Touch my toes without bending my knees in 2 months by practicing yoga stretches every morning to improve flexibility and reduce back pain.
Lose 10 kilograms in 6 months by reducing daily calorie intake and increasing physical activity to improve health.
Career and Professional Goals
Obtain [specify certification] within 6 months by enrolling in a preparation course and dedicating 10 hours per week to study, enhancing my qualifications and career advancement potential.
Master advanced Excel functions and SQL within 3 months by completing specified online courses, improving my data analysis capabilities.
Expand my digital marketing network by adding 50 new contacts and establishing 5 meaningful relationships within 6 months through regular attendance at networking events and engagement on social media.
Develop leadership skills by completing a leadership development program and leading a project team within one year, preparing for future managerial roles.
Achieve a promotion to senior analyst within 12 months by meeting performance metrics, completing key projects, and taking on additional responsibilities, advancing my career and increasing my professional responsibilities.
The last goal is a good example of one that could be better set as an OKR. The high-level objective is to become a senior analyst, but there are multiple ways to achieve it, and it would be better to add two to three specific key results rather than make it one SMART goal.
Educational Goals
Complete my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration by enrolling in and passing 4 courses per semester, aiming to graduate in one year.
Attend a presentation skills workshop next month and apply learned techniques in my classes over the following three months to improve teaching effectiveness.
Achieve B2 conversational fluency in Spanish within 6 months by using a structured online course and practicing twice a week with native speakers.
Attend an academic writing seminar this semester and improve my writing skills to achieve a B grade in my assignments through weekly practice and instructor feedback.
Complete the cooking class and master these pastry types within 6 months.
Relationship Goals
Hold a weekly 'relationship check-in' with my partner every Sunday night for the next 3 months to improve our communication and understanding.
Connect with my siblings via video call once a month and send a weekly text update for the next 6 months to strengthen our family bonds.
Join two local clubs or interest groups within the next month and attend events monthly to develop new friendships over the next 6 months.
Have a 10-minute conversation with my daughter every evening after dinner to discuss her day and any concerns, continuing this routine for the next 6 months.
Reconnect with three old college friends by contacting one friend per month over the next three months to arrange a meet-up or video call.
Financial Goals
Save $10,000 for an emergency fund by setting aside $500 each month for the next 20 months to cover six months of living expenses.
Pay off $5,000 in credit card debt by paying $500 each month for 10 months.
Increase my 401(k) contributions by 2% of my annual salary starting with my next paycheck to enhance my retirement savings.
Save $30,000 for a house down payment by saving $1,250 monthly for the next 24 months.
Increase my credit score to 750 within 12 months by paying all bills on time, reducing credit card usage, and avoiding new debts.
Personal Development Goals
Improve my public speaking skills by enrolling in a workshop and delivering three successful presentations at work within the next 6 months to enhance professional credibility.
Learn to play 5 guitar songs in 4 months by practicing for 30 minutes daily using an online course.
Enhance emotional intelligence by reading one book and attending a workshop within 3 months to improve interpersonal relationships.
Achieve B2 level fluency in Spanish within 12 months by taking bi-weekly classes and practicing regularly with a language partner.
Complete a digital marketing certification in 6 months by enrolling in an online course and dedicating 5 hours weekly to study, enhancing my career prospects.
