This is the third part of a five-part series on setting effective goals.
Part One: How to set effective goals
Part Two: How to define your values for effective goal-setting

Once you have a handle on your values and have defined them, it’s time to actually set your goals. Here are some of the essential steps to turn your goals into reality.

Write your goals down

Document your goals– this is vital. Writing them down forces you to examine them more closely and refine or redefine them to make them more specific and hence, more clearly achievable.  You may find that on close examination, a specific goal breaks down into a number of “sub-goals” so you’ll need to determine the order in which these must be achieved. There is a vast range of planning and scheduling software available that can help you with this. 

You should keep some sort of a journal to record your progress. Whether you keep it in a physical notebook or as a document file on your computer, you should get in the habit of recording any difference between planned progress and actual progress and identifying the reasons for the differences. This is not an exercise in self-criticism, but a way of refining your planning so that with experience you become more realistic in your goal setting. And it is very good for your morale when you achieve a specific goal earlier than planned.

Set Both Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

LONG TERM GOALS

Long-term goals are aspirations and achievements that you aim to accomplish over an extended period, ranging from several months to several years. These goals often represent significant milestones in your life. Long-term goals provide a sense of direction and purpose, guiding your actions and decisions over an extended period. They do require consistent effort, dedication, and strategic planning..Here are examples across different areas:

• Attain a specific position or title within your organization.
• Start your own business or consultancy.
• Complete a higher degree, such as a master’s or doctoral program.
• Achieve and maintain a target weight or fitness level.
• Run a marathon or participate in a significant athletic event.
• Learn a language or a musical instrument
• Achieve financial independence or retire early.
• Save a specific amount for a major life event 
• Travel to specific destinations or experience different cultures.
• Establish a nonprofit organization or make a significant contribution to your community

Breaking down these long-term goals into smaller, manageable short-term goals will not only make the journey more achievable and help you track your progress along the way, but provide opportunities to regularly reassess and adjust your long-term goals to accommodate changing circumstances and aspirations.

SHORT TERM GOALS

Short-term goals should support your broader, long-term objectives. They form the structural elements upon which your overall success and satisfaction will rest. Regularly reassess and adjust your short-term goals to keep consistent with your evolving priorities.

Short-term goals are those you can achieve soon, typically within days, weeks, or a few months. Here are some examples:

• Update your resume
• Sign up for a class
• Read a chapter of a book
• Practice a new habit for a certain time
• Pay off a debt within a certain time frame
• Start a new hobby
• Declutter an area of your home

Keep your goals measurable and scheduled

Make your goals measurable so that you can track your progress. For example, if your goal is to read more, set a specific number of books you want to read each month.

Set a specific target date for achieving a specific goal. This creates a clear objective and schedule which will keep you focussed. For example, rather than the vague, “I want to learn a new language,” say “In six months I wish to be able to conduct a basic conversation in French.”

Have a realistic and documented schedule with key completion dates for each successive stage. This is essential in planning and prioritizing activities.