There comes a point in your life when goal setting suddenly becomes interesting. What was once a tiresome school exercise evolves into a tool to unlock a more excited, more aligned, more you life.
When you are stuck in a rut and cannot see the way out, exploring different types of goals can give you the inspiration you need to get things moving again. Below are 19 ideas to try, plus a simple three-step process to help them stick.
Why are goals important?
Goals give you something to aim for. They can amplify an area of your life, give you a new focus, and renew your sense of purpose. When things feel unsettled, goals bring you progress and joy.
The process of setting goals encourages you to get to know yourself a little better. You dive deep, reflect, and explore what you really want. Your life starts to feel more like your own, because you are prioritising the things you value most.
4 types of goals based on results and processes
Before you pick a theme, it helps to know how you want to work towards it. These four frameworks apply to almost any area of life.
Time-based goals
Time-based goals are designed to be achieved within a set time frame, so they need to be realistic and achievable. Giving yourself a month for something that really needs a year is a one-way street to disappointment. Setting yourself up with enough time and energy? Much better. This type can be short-term (even just for this week), long-term (several years or more), or yearly.
Lifetime goals
Ever heard of a bucket list? Lifetime goals do exactly what they say on the tin. They are designed to be achieved over the course of your lifetime. You might not know exactly when they will come to fruition, but by writing them down, you train your mind to look for opportunities to bring them to life.
Outcome-based goals
With an outcome-based goal, you measure success based on your performance rather than a fixed deadline. You allow yourself as much time as you need, and consider the goal successful when you are happy with how you have done.
Stepping stone goals
If you want a type of goal that feels manageable and genuinely doable, stepping stone goals are worth a look. Most goal types take you towards one big thing, but stepping stones are milestones on the way there. They show you that you are headed in the right direction.
15 types of goals based on areas of your life
Each framework above can be applied to different areas of your life. These ideas should give you plenty of inspiration for your next goal-setting session.
Emotional goals
Emotional goals are essentially mental health goals. They are about how you feel in yourself. Have a clear way to measure progress (for example, a mood tracker), and be clear about how you will improve your emotional state, whether through therapy, new wellbeing habits, or steps to reduce stress.
Skills goals
Sometimes you need a specific skill to achieve another goal. Other times, you simply want to learn something new. Skills goals aim for a certain level before you move on to the next phase.
Relationship goals
Relationship goals might be about improving a connection you already have, or bringing new relationships into your life. Building adult friendships can be a challenge, but it is one of the most important things you will ever do.
Personal goals
Personal goals are exactly that: personal to you. Nobody else gets a say in how you achieve them or what they look like. You tailor them to your lifestyle. Goal setting, your way.
Family goals
In contrast to personal goals, family goals are for you and your family to achieve together. The only essential ingredient is that every member of the family is on board.
Wellbeing goals
When most of us think of health-related goals, we immediately think of weight loss. But wellbeing is so much more. Types of wellbeing goals include strength goals, fitness goals, and broader health goals. It is about what helps you feel good and, ultimately, well.
Spiritual goals
Spiritual goals explore a deeper sense of self through your spiritual practices. They may be related to religion, or practices such as tarot or moon journaling.
Career goals
Most of us will need career goals at some point. These can cover anything from pursuing a promotion or raise to gaining more responsibilities, receiving a certain level of feedback, or getting your voice heard at work.
Community goals
Community goals are about achieving something outside your personal sphere. The goal is set by you, but other people feel its impact. Volunteering, community work, and giving back are all examples.
Learning goals
Learning goals are closely related to education, but you do not have to be in academia to pursue one. Learning a new language in your 50s or taking up hiking in your 20s both count, as long as you are learning something new.
Just for fun goals
It is easy to look for deeper meaning when you set goals. Sometimes that is exactly what you need. Other times, the opposite is true. Just for fun goals are the antidote to that pressure. It does not matter if you do not achieve them. It is about the journey, having fun, and seeing what happens.
Team goals
Just like family goals, team goals are designed to be accomplished as a group. This can apply to a sports team, company, community group, or any team that shares the same mission and values.
Business development goals
Career goals are for the employed. Business development goals are for the self-employed. If you run your own business, having your end destination in mind stops you being pulled entirely by the whims of customers and clients.
Financial goals
You will often set financial goals to unlock another type of goal. Saving for a house deposit, for example, unlocks the personal goal of owning your own home.
Creative goals
Being creative is an important part of being human. Creative goals help you explore that further, from new artistic pursuits to writing and journaling in new ways.
A three-step process to make your goals stick
No matter what type of goal you are setting, this process makes bringing it to life so much easier. Block time in a daily planner and revisit your priorities each quarter.
Step one: set your goal
Even if your goal is designed to be achieved over a longer period, it helps to look at it through a yearly lens. Once you have determined what your goal is for that time period, break it down into milestones for the next three months. These help you test the waters and see exactly what time and effort is required.
Step two: execute your tasks
Now that you have your goal for the next three months, what do you need to do to achieve it? These are your tasks. Note them in your diary alongside any tools or resources that will help. Useful companions include bullet journaling for goals, our habit tracker guide, realistic fitness goals, and financial journaling for money-related aims.
Step three: reflect and learn
At the end of every quarter, ask yourself:
- Did I achieve my goal, and why or why not?
- Are the goals I set still important?
- If I did not continue, would the loss of this goal negatively affect my life?
Where will you start?
Now you have 19 types of goals to bring into your life. Which one will you choose first? Schedule the time to make it happen, whether that is a quiet Sunday planning session or a few minutes each evening in your planner.
Explore our daily planners and wellness journals if you want structure built in. However you begin, the important thing is to pick one goal that genuinely excites you and give it room to grow.
