A short-term goal is something that you can accomplish quickly. For example, I can go out and run 3 miles today, and then I’ve completed it. Contrast that with a long-term goal, like running a half marathon. That is not something that I can accomplish in a day. I need to sit and plan how I will train for that and what gear I need. A short-term goal requires less thinking than a long-term goal.
The most important thing about short term goals is that you can build on them to get to a much bigger goal down the road. If you wanted to take on a very big project that would take a really long time to accomplish, you may end up being frustrated halfway through feeling like you’re not getting anywhere with it. If you took that same goal and broke it into sections, you can get a greater sense of accomplishment and keep motivated on the road to the bigger picture
This is a topic that is near and dear to the hearts of my readers, researchers, and website visitors. So much so that one of them were kind enough to share their own personal opinions. I don’t claim to be the best interviewer in the world, but I do promise some good, raw, and honest answers from normal people like you and me. I do my best to NOT filter these answers, except for the bad words and hateful speech.
With that little blurb out of the way, let’s dive right into the juicy bits of (potentially) life-changing insights.
Current Topic: Short-Term Goals
‘R’ = Richard N. Stephenson (me!) ‘I’ = Interviewee (anonymous by request unless otherwise noted)
[This interview is inspired and fueled by research done for my book: Staying Motivated at Work.]
R: To you, what are some of the biggest benefits usually associated with this topic?
I: I personally enjoy looking back and seeing the progress I’ve made by accomplishing those short-term goals. I also believe they are incredibly powerful at helping you achieve long-term goals. Additionally, setting short-term goals are typically easier to accomplish which leads to a higher chance of actually completing them.
R: What is the biggest, life-changing thing that could come from this topic?
I: Short term goals could change someone’s life if they are looking for a long term change or working towards a very difficult goal. For example, I had a long term goal of getting into graduate school. I had to break up this very long term goal into short term goals, such as taking practice tests for the GRE, studying for exams in my classes, engaging in research projects, and emailing potential advisers. A long term goal can be very big and nebulous. Breaking it up into shorter goals can all add up to produce a life-changing experience.
R: Could this topic help regular people like me and you be better at what we do?
I: I guess short-term goals could create a marker for someone to aim towards. Providing someone with a goal that is easily reachable or achievable should make that person much more productive and at the same time, boost his confidence in ways that long-term goals couldn’t, since those take longer to achieve and may be less easily achieved.
R: Is there anyone you can think of that seems to be a great role-model as far as this topic is concerned.
I: Teachers are best at short term goals. The goal of the teacher is to remit information and then to test the students. The short term goal is to teach the student to learn the material. Of course the learning material could resonate with the student forever.
But it is not the teacher’s job to check on long term goals of the students in her class. The teacher’s short term goal is to see that the student understand the learning material for that semester and then to offer a grade.
R: In a few sentences, describe who’s just plain no good when it comes to this topic.
I: An example of a person who is worst at short-term goals is my sister. We received an inheritance from my grandmother, and the first thing she did is buy a new car. She only had the car for about two months until she crashed it. She doesn’t save any money from any of her paychecks; rather she just spends everything right away. She does not even think about how to get through even a short period of time. She is worst at short-term goals.
R: How do you bring this topic into your life?
I: I would make short-term goals a part of my life by taking steps each day toward my goals. For example, every day (or sometimes every other day), I read a few paragraphs or pages of religious writings. Soon, I will have finished a book. Secondly, I read each day; preferably 25-50 pages or more.
R: What parts of the daily routine are best for making this subject more useful?
I: I think the best time in life to make short-term goals is when you are young. It’s a mistake to make young people feel like they have to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. An appropriate time to be short-term would be upon graduation of college. Instead of focusing on “forever,” that’s a great time to focus on the next year to five years with a general idea of where you want to be in that time frame.
R: Seems like there are good times and bad times to bring this one up. When’s a really BAD time, do you think?
I: An inappropriate time to bring “short term goals” into your life is when you are listening to your best friend who has just admitted that her spouse is abusive and she has left him. She needs help leaving and she needs help immediately. This is not the time to put her off.
This is not the time to complain that you were planning on going shopping this weekend. Or even that you had planned on starting to rip out your bathroom or visit your mother in another city. This is the time to put aside your short term goals and focus on your friend.
R: Where’s the best place someone can bring this topic into their life?
I: The best place to make short-term goals part of your daily life is in the shower. In the shower you are unencumbered by outside distraction or by whatever you’re doing. You’re relaxed and your mind is free. If you want to think about short term goals, make a plan in the shower for what the particular goal is, and then when the shower is over carry it out if possible. If this becomes a habit you can always go over your short term goals in the shower.
R: Tell us about the worst place to make this subject part of our lives.
I: The worst place to make short term goals an active part of your life is at school. In school you need to focus on long term objectives, because the lessons and skills that you learn in school are necessary later in life. If you only do enough to get by for the moment, you will likely regret your decision later on.
R: Think for a second about who needs to learn more about this subject. Now, describe them to us, please.
I: I could use this kind of help. I am aware of my “years from now” long-term goals but have never really sat down to consider my “months from now” short term goals. I think by giving myself goals that are attainable within the foreseeable future be quite beneficial especially considering I have no clear direction at this stage in my life. I think by setting up more short-term goals I would be able to direct myself towards my long-term goals more efficiently.
R: Give me an example of something we can do to discover more about this subject.
I: Sit down and make a list of things you would like to achieve over the next six months. Once you get a list of about ten things, line them up in order of importance. Take the most important longer term goal and make another list of things you need to do to achieve that goal. Which of those things can you get done over the next couple of weeks? These are your short-term goals.
R: Give me an idea of something people should avoid in learning more about this topic.
I: Your short-term goals should support your long-term goals. That may seem obvious, but to achieve longer-term goals, it is important to set and achieve goals in the shorter term. The worst thing you can do is to set short-term goals that undermine the achievement of your longer term goals. For example, assume that a person who hasn’t exercised recently sets as her goal getting into better shape.
She sets as a short-term goal working out for 90-minutes every day. Given the demands of her schedule she quickly falls off that schedule, skipping days and shortening her workouts. Having a more realistic short-term goal, for example, three 30-minute workouts a week, might be a better way for her to achieve her longer-term goal.
R: If you had to do just one thing right now to get better at this subject, what would it be?
I: If you have a written list of your short-term goals, why not tape it to the refrigerator? You’ll see it first thing every morning. This will help you keep your goals in the front of your mind.
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Thank you for reading this personal journey into becoming a better person and having a better future ahead of you. I hope you enjoyed this interview conversation and found golden nuggets you can immediately apply to your daily life.
If you want to get more productivity (and fulfillment!) out of your work, career, and life through being more motivated, then check out Staying Motivated at Work.
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