Top 3 Personal Goals

At the heart of all personal goals is the same objective; to be happy. Of course, there are many pathways to happiness. For some, like Robert Frost, the path to happiness means taking “the road less traveled” and experiencing new things, working hard, or building character through adversity. For others, the path to happiness involves introspection, participating in enjoyable activities and following conventional wisdom. There are many areas where one can set personal and life planning goals — whether it’s weight loss, quitting smoking, finishing college, getting married, starting a family, saving up a down payment or changing bad habits.

Losing weight is one of the most popular personal goals Americans have. It’s a lot easier to put on a few pounds than to lose them, and reaching goals of weight loss or better fitness requires a lot of discipline. The best way to approach weight loss is to start by setting realistic goals — like losing 10% body weight to start. So if an individual weighs 200 pounds, then he or she can start by working to lose 20 pounds. It’s also wise to break down a list of short term goals that will lead to that long term goal of weight loss. Work out 3 days/week, choose a weekly cardio class at the gym, rat more salads, weight train once a week and/or limit desserts to once per week. Many people trying to lose weight also link up with friends who have the same agenda so they can work as support networks for each other.

Finishing college is another one of the most popular personal goals. To accomplish this, one must write out a goal statement. In how many years should college be finished; 2, 4, 6, or more? Is the goal an Associates, Bachelor, Masters or PhD? Which type of degree is being sought? Often obtaining a degree is actually part of a larger objective of obtaining a certain position or career. It’s a good idea to break each year down into manageable parts, add internships and resume building to the priority goal list and participate in extracurricular activities that lead to the desired career. Sometimes students need to plan personal changes in their habits, like to stop procrastinating, go to bed earlier and read all the assigned chapters, which will all help to ensure they can pass.

Sometimes personal goals are related to personal habits that inhibit other areas of life. For instance, ending procrastination is one goal people struggle with. According to Psychology Today magazine, 20-25% of Americans are self-professed procrastinators. A procrastinator may create a personal goal setting list, with entries like; I should realize that I do not work better under pressure, I will only reward myself with free time when I finish my quota for the day, I will only celebrate if I finish the project before the deadline, I will break down tasks into manageable lists, I will tell others about my goals, I will work on a schedule and in an environment free of distractions.

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