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Personal Goal Setting for Success

Personal goal setting can make today’s dream into tomorrow’s reality. These goal setting templates and goal setting worksheets for setting smart goals achieve goal setting success.

Your time and your life are precious!

Do you want to:

  • achieve financial independence?
  • spend more time with your family?
  • achieve better health and fitness?
  • become more productive at work or have more direction in your life or just simply use your time more effectively?


Spending years accomplishing what you could have done in a few months is a big waste of time.

Overcome wasted effort and reduce stress with these personal goal setting tools!

My personal mission is to help people to achieve their goals faster than they could without my help.

Goal setting is a powerful tool in achieving your ideal future.

The power of personal goal setting is that you take focused steps to turn your vision into reality.

Whether you want to set personal goals, career goals or fitness goals, having a personal goal setting plan increases your chances of success.

Developing a personal goal setting plan

Personal goal setting is your road map to success.

But the problem is that we are never really taught how to set goals.

Every year many people set goals with the best of intentions, only to make the same resolutions the following year.

But personal goal setting is not about 'setting and forgetting' your goals!

Here we show you the principles of setting and achieving goals.

Did you know that 80% of goal setting studies in sport and business show improvement in less than 6 weeks?

personal goal setting

Goal setting theory

Goal setting theory states there is an inseparable link between goal setting and improved performance.

According to Locke and Latham's (1990) goal setting theory, goals direct behavior and are powerful motivators for change.


Whether you want to achieve your professional goals, business goals, or personal goals, you will have a much greater chance of success by using the RIGHT personal goal setting strategies.

I use these personal goal setting strategies as a sport psychologist with elite athletes, as a performance coach with business professionals, and as a university lecturer with school students.

I use them because they work!

Sometimes it is difficult to know where to start in your goal setting lessons.

This is why we provide structured goal setting lesson plans through our goal setting course.

Accomplish more in less time than you could have imagined with these seven lessons sent directly to your inbox.

Setting and achieving goals

Dr Banfield of Harvard University stated that the most important determinant of personal and financial success is having a "long-term perspective."

A long-term perspective means creating a personal vision of the type of person you want to be.

You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration

James Allen

goal setting plan

These goal setting activities inspire you to develop a personal vision of where you want to be in the different areas of your life.

A personal vision is the foundation upon which to develop your long-term goals.

By having a goal setting plan you bridge the gap between today's dreams and tomorrow's reality.

Realize what you really want. It stops you from chasing butterflies and puts you to work digging gold.

William Moulton Marsden

goal setting worksheet

Goal setting worksheet

What is important to you? What do you really want to achieve?

Rate your different life areas in terms of importance with this goal setting worksheet.


Develop clarity in your long-term goals

How often have we heard the story of the busy executive who has achieved success in their working life....only to have missed seeing his/her children grow up, or not pursuing an interest that he/she loved?

Goal setting software

The right goal setting software saves you time and helps you to set smart goals.

Goal setting software emphasizes a goal plan and then provides the tools to work your plan.

Everything takes a backseat to work and career!...and often when it is too late, people regret the things they missed.

Don't be mistaken, your job or career is important...how else can you put food on the table?

But to live an effective life, one of meaning and purpose, goals that reflect a balanced life are likely to provide your greatest rewards!

BUT how can you achieve balance in your personal goal setting?

The easiest and most foolproof way is to set and achieve goals in different areas of your life by following proven goal setting strategies.

Some examples of how to set goals in different life areas include:

  • Family goal setting. Do you want to spend more quality time with your family? What sort of parent or partner do you want to be? Setting family goals is an important part of overall goal setting.
  • Education goals.Do you want to learn something new, or become an expert in a particular area? What new skills do you want to acquire?
  • Fitness goal setting. Do you want to lose weight or become fitter? Perhaps you want to improve your game or remain motivated to keep training. Do you want to remain healthy as you get older? What steps do you need to take? Have smart goals in this area is important to your health.
  • Setting personal goals. Do you want to maintain a positive mindset? Are there behaviors that you want to improve upon? Do you want to have more pleasure and happiness in your life? Setting personal goals for these things is important to your happiness.
  • Setting financial goals. What sort of money do you want to earn? Do you want to achieve financial freedom? If so, how?
  • Career goal setting. Where do you want to be in your career? What type of job do you want to work in? Career goals help you to set smart goals that focus you on your career objectives.

goal setting forms

Writing goals down on goal setting forms

Put your goals on paper with these goal setting forms.

Whether you are setting smart goals in your career, business, family or personal life, these goal setting forms give you the building blocks to create tomorrow's reality from today's vision.


Setting SMART goals

Over the years I have worked with many sport professionals, business professionals, and college students in setting and achieving goals.

They are often great at setting short-term term goals - win the match, close the deal, or ace an exam - but the steps to achieving their long-term goal are often lacking.

Often people come unstuck in their goal setting plan.

Do you know what you are aiming for?

Do you know how you are going to get there?

Often the second question is hard to answer!

This is where setting SMART goals is important.

SMART goals allow you to develop your OWN road map to success in any part of your life.

SMART is an acronym for setting Specific, Measurable, Action-based, Realistic, and Time-bound goals.

Research suggests that to maximize goal setting success, you need a combination of short and long-term SMART goals.

goal setting templates

Imagine a ladder with the top step being the achievement of your long-term goal.

Each step on the ladder can be thought of as one of your short-term goals.

As you progress up the ladder you complete each short-term goal moving you closer to your ultimate success.

It is easy to lose sight of your long-term goal, so it is really important to set short-term goals that keep you focused on your lifetime plan.

These free goal setting templates give you the skills to develop short-term goals from your bigger picture.

How to set goals: Avoiding common goal setting mistakes

Every year many people set goals, only to set the same goals again the following year.

This is because they make some common goal setting mistakes.

Goal setting tips

When setting goals there are some common errors to be aware of and goal setting strategies that you can use that maximize your goal setting success.

These goal setting tips ensure that you avoid common goal setting traps and reap the success of setting and achieving goals.


Do you have too many goals in the different areas of your life?

Are you spread too thin?

Do you set and forget goals?

Is the goal what you really desire?

It is great that you are so eager and motivated to achieve all these goals so why not prioritize your goals with this goal setting activity.

Prioritizing your goals focuses your attention and effort on the most important goals for you.

Do You Have A Personal Goal Settting Story?

Do you have a goal setting story about this? Share it!

Enter Your Title

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Reason to set goals  Not rated yet
This is the reason why I need to change my life.

Vision vs. Goals vs. Objectives  Not rated yet
What is the difference between your vision and your goals? Your goals vs. your objectives?

Kell's response:

Hi Rick

The foundation of personal ...

What are SMART goals?  Not rated yet
What are SMART goals?
Mike

Nov 30, 2010: Kell's response to SMART goals

Hi Mike,

SMART goals are an acronym for goal setting success.

Basically ...

Goal Quotes  Not rated yet
Does anyone have good goal quotes that inspire and motivate.
Thanks Ashley

Nov 30, 2010: Kell's response for goal setting quotes

Hi Ashley,

Goal ...

Online Goal Setting Course  Not rated yet
Can anyone recommend an online goal setting course?

I have been setting goals but I don't think I am setting the right goals. Also, is it important ...

Success in life (with goals or time management?)  Not rated yet
How do you measure success in life?

What is the easiest way to attain success in life?

I checked through the net and there are always people trying ...

Whats an example of Short Term Goals and Long Term Goals?  Not rated yet
Short term goals vs. long term goals.

I am not really sure but can anybody give me some examples of short term goals and long term goals.

I am getting ...

How Many Goals Should I set?  Not rated yet
How many goals are the optimal number of goals?

I have just planned my life for the next 12 months.

I have set about 16 goals.

I was just wandering ...

Related goal setting articles

goal setting quotes Goal Setting Quotes

Quotes that Motivate and Inspire

goal setting for children Goal Setting for Children

Setting Goals is an Important Lesson for Children


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