The Top 11 Most Common Life Goals & Examples — Gareth Michael

Even though life can be unpredictable, having a list of goals in life is an important part of living a more fulfilling life. But when was the last time you really thought about your personal goals? Perhaps you aren’t sure of what your long term goals may be, or have never thought about how to set goals in life.

In this blog we’ll answer questions such as ‘What is a goal in life?’, and look at many of the common goals in life and how to achieve them.

What are Goals?

What are goals in life? Is a life goal just anything that you want to accomplish? Well, yes and no. While some of the biggest life goals are certainly objectives worth reaching, not everything that we want can really be described as a “goal”.

Goals can be seen as the choices we make and the actions we take in order to create change in different areas of life. Good life goals help us focus on our sense of purpose. Rather than just asking “What do I want?”, it’s far more important to ask “Why do I want it?”

For example, a simple desire might be “I want a cup of coffee.” Easy enough. But Why do you want it? Are you tired? Are you thirsty? Is it a little cold in the office? Or are you just bored? Each of these could be solved by getting a cup of coffee, sure. However, each one could also be solved in several other ways.

Knowing why your life goals list is important will maximise your personal growth.

Types of Goals

When it comes to setting and achieving your goals, it helps to fully understand the different examples of goals in life. Here is a summary of them:

SMART Goals

SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. Setting SMART Goals can help you to get to the root of not just what you want, but why you want it and how to go about achieving your goals.

S: Specific

For any goal to be reachable, it needs to be specific. This can be something as straightforward as “I want to quit smoking” to something as complex as “I need to grow my clientele by 12% before the end of the quarter.”

M: Measurable

Now that you’ve set life goals, how will you know when you’ve succeeded? Having objective quantifiable measurements can really help track your progress. Every little step helps and measuring those will keep you motivated.

A: Achievable

While it’s healthy to have a “can do” attitude, it’s also important to set goals that are realistically achievable. Setting unattainable goals is just setting yourself up for failure.

R: Relevant

Why are you setting this goal in the first place? Is quitting smoking just one step toward your other health goals? Is increasing your sales the path to that long term financial goal or dream car? Keeping the “why” in mind will help keep you focused on your end goal.

T: Time-Based

Deadlines may not be everyone’s favourite thing, but setting a definite end-point for your goal helps to get things done. Write your goals down, give yourself a deadline, and then take action.

Short-Term Goals

Short-term goals can help to keep you motivated, and further your personal development. These are also key for breaking up long-term goals into more achievable milestones. There are many short-term goals in life, examples including drinking more water, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or attending a skills course as part of larger career goals. 

Long-Term Goals

This type of goal setting will help you reach further than short-term goals, but it may need a significant amount of work to achieve. These may take months, years, or even decades to fully pay off. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an example of a long-term goal set by the UN, as a universal call to action to end poverty.

Interpersonal Goals

These goals focus on building social skills and relationships. Relationship goals may include acquaintances, close friends, family, or professional connections. Examples of interpersonal goals are spending more time with loved ones, having an important conversation, or making new friends.

11 Common Life Goals Examples

Everyone’s life is different and the goals that are going to be best for someone might not be feasible or necessary for someone else. So what are some goals in life that may benefit you moving forwards? If you’re looking to make some positive changes in life, here are a few common goals to have that will serve you well:

1. Fix Something That’s Broken

This is a great place to start because the scale of this could be as big or small as you want. You don’t need to perform an extreme home makeover, but replacing that burnt-out lightbulb or fixing that sticky drawer will immediately get you feeling accomplished. You’ll want to ride that wave and who knows how far it will take you?

2. Volunteer

This is one of the most valuable goals to have in life. Clean up a local park, head down to a soup kitchen, or foster an elderly dog. Do something to give back to your community in even a small way. 

3. Run a 10k

Maybe not tomorrow, but next month? By the end of the year? This is a great goal because it combines long-term goals (run 10k) and short-term goals (eat better, lose some weight, go running three times a week). Also, it fits every one of the SMART guidelines.

4. Learn a New Skill

There’s never been a better time to finally learn to speak French, bake a cake, or build a canoe. The only thing stopping anyone from learning any new skill is time; while time is certainly precious, making time to sample life goals may just cause you to reevaluate your priorities.

5. Travel More

You don’t have to go all the way to Rome. There are many people around the world benefiting from setting travel goals that are much closer to home. There’s no better way to learn to love your life than by stepping out of it for a few days or weeks every now and again.

Even a weekend camping trip with your dog can be rejuvenating. Get ideas for pet-friendly destinations by checking out the travel category on PetsandReviews.com.

6. Practice Mindfulness

Live in the moment. Stop and appreciate the sunset. Pet that friendly dog looking at you at the bus stop. Just take 60 seconds and breathe while you watch the traffic go by outside. Taking just a few minutes each day to appreciate it will make the rest of it all that much more enjoyable.

7. Deliver a Public Speech

Public speaking is one of the most common fears for many people. But overcoming that fear even once can give you a sense of power and accomplishment when you realize it wasn’t that bad. Finding an audience is always the hardest part.

8. Write a Book

You might not be able to quit your day job anytime soon, but these days, anyone can publish a book for next to nothing. It doesn’t have to be long. Honestly, it doesn’t even have to be good. But seeing your name on a book cover is one of the most satisfying feelings out there.

9. Reach Out to an Old Friend

If you’ve been thinking “I wonder whatever happened to Bob?” then pick up the phone and find out. OK, it’s 2024, maybe send a text—or even better a meme—but you’ll be surprised how often that person was also wondering about you.

10. Realign Your Work-Life Balance

We all want to make more money, but what good is it if you never have the time to enjoy it? Take the time to really assess your priorities and think about what you want out of life. If your goal is to buy a house, then maybe now is the time to sacrifice a few extra weekends.

11. Pay Off Some Debt

It doesn’t have to be all of it or even all at once. Working out a payment plan for even a small amount of debt can help to get the ball rolling.

Get Help Setting Realistic, Attainable Goals

Sometimes, creating sustainable change in your life can be challenging . If you’re ready to make those changes, and are looking for support and guidance on your journey, then Gareth Michael can help you set and reach your goals through a wide range of spiritual coaching services. 

Get in touch today to book your free 30 minute consultation, and see how working with Gareth can help you to more deeply explore your spiritual path.