The Importance of Short-Term Goals for Motivation and Success

We set goals for ourselves and strive to meet them. But how hard we work is often related to how achievable and immediate our goals seem. A goal to save a million dollars might start a few pennies at a time, but a goal to save $50 might be quickly achieved with $5 dropped into savings every few days. This is exactly why short-term goals are an important part of every personal and professional development plan.

Whether you're trying to stay organized and achieve your self-set goals or you're trying to reach one really distant-seeming goal, short-term goals are essential. Short-term goals are more easily reachable and can take you closer to a bigger goal one step at a time. But more importantly, short-term goals are motivating and can keep us moving forward at a faster pace than if we only have long-term goals. 

Why Are Short-Term Goals Motivating?

Accomplishing Short-Term Goals Feels Good

When you complete a short-term goal, you feel great. You get that accomplished feeling from setting up a task and getting it done. This can feel great, especially if you've been feeling like your long-term goals just never get any closer. Short-term goals can show you how each step matters, and motivate you to take and complete the next steps in your process.

Short Term Goals Break the Mold

When you first get started setting short-term goals, there is one thing everyone notices; it breaks up your routine. You break out of the rut you've been stuck in, you try new things, and you get creative. Short-term goals can help you simulate the urgency you need to be creative and energetic.

A short-term goal can turn a good situation - like your desire to learn a new skill - into an active project. You decide the day to meet your goal, you set a timer, and you dive in with all of your attention and motivation until the goal is accomplished.

Break the mold, break out of your rut, and test how short-term goal achievement gets you going in new directions.

Setting Short-Term Goals to Reach Long-Term Goals

One of the best things about short-term goals is that they can be for short projects - like organizing a drawer - or they can each be a step toward a larger goal - like re-organizing the entire kitchen.

To achieve big goals with short-term goals, define your goal and then determine smaller steps you can take. If you want a clean garage, you tackle one box at a time. If you want a stronger body, each work-out session is a step in the right direction. If you want a promotion, you can spend an hour every Saturday studying new skills and getting online certifications.

Add Inspirational Short-Term Goals Into the Mix

Don't forget mental health and personal inspiration. Mental and emotional wellness goals are also worth building into your short-term projects. Invite yourself to appreciate nature for five minutes every day, perhaps with your morning or evening cup of tea. 

You can write down what you are grateful for, or things that inspired you during the day. A few inspirational short term goals can help you see yourself, your mental health, and the world around you in a new light.

Building Each Day with Rewarding Short-Term Goals

How do you keep track of all your short-term goals or build a goal-sequence that leads to your long-term goals? Most people use a planner. An inspirational planner is a great way to guide yourself through achievements and introspection in each day.

The right planner can help you not only make your long-term goals into rewarding short-term goals, but also help you build a well-balanced life between your emotional, physical, and professional focus each day. 

The Aspyn Planner and Wellness Workbook was designed with a variety of goal setting pages that help you break down short-term and long-term goals on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. 

Aspyn Market Coaching and Wellness Planners

If you are looking to organize, motivate, and inspire yourself, you can find a great monthly planner and online coaching at Aspyn Market. We have put together a complete set of resources to help you set goals and start achieving them.