Setting Goals That Are Realistic and Attainable Is the Key to Well-Being and Success

We all have goals in life whether it’s advancing our career, improving our relationships, building a healthier lifestyle, or just enjoying life more and being happier.

But how we set these goals plays a huge role in our ability to achieve them and make progress.

According to a new study published in the European Journal of Personality, one big factor in healthy goal-setting is to choose goals that we see as attainable and realistic.

Researchers asked participants to rank the importance and attainability of life goals in ten different areas: health, community, personal growth, social relationships, fame, image, wealth, family, responsibility for younger generations, and work.

They discovered that the more individuals ranked their goals as “attainable,” the greater their cognitive and affective well-being. While those who saw their goals as unrealistic or unattainable, were more likely to suffer and be de-motivated.

This finding is consistent with a popular model for goal-setting known as “SMART,” popularized by business and management expert Peter Drucker.

The “SMART” Model for Goal-Setting

According to the “SMART” model, an effective goal is…

• Specific – Goals should be specific and concrete, so you have a clear idea of what type of actions you need to take to get there. Being specific about your goals has been associated with increased motivation and success. (For example, instead of saying “I want to be healthy,” say “I want to go for a morning run 3 times per week.”)
• Measurable – Goals should be measurable so that you have a way of keeping track of your progress. (For example, “I want to be able to run the mile in under 7 minutes” is a good measurable goal because you can see how much closer you are getting to your goal over time. Another good way to measure your goals is how much time you spend, such as “I want to spend at least 1 hour per day writing” is one way to hold yourself accountable and keep yourself on pace).
• Achievable – Goals should be fairly easy and achievable so that you have a realistic chance of completing the goal. If a goal is too unrealistic or big, you’ll likely get frustrated and give up on the goal entirely. But if you keep your goals small, then you can always choose a slightly bigger goal once you’ve achieved it. (For example, if you’re someone who has a problem with eating healthy, it might be easier to set a small goal like “I will replace my midday snack with a salad” rather than trying to completely revamp your diet overnight).
• Relevant – Goals should be relevant to your actual values and priorities in life. If a goal doesn’t reflect where you want to go in your life, then there’s no real point in pursuing it and trying to achieve it. (For example, if your current priority in life is health, then make health-related goals; or if your current priority in life is work; then make work-related goals).
• Time-Bound – Goals should be time-bound and held to a specific deadline. Doing this gives you a clear timeframe to try to achieve your goal, which adds extra pressure and motivation to pursue it rather than procrastinate endlessly. Also, once the deadline is reached, it gives you an opportunity to step back and re-evaluate your goal if you happen to not succeed at it. (For example, “I will lose 10 pounds within 30 days.” or “I will write 3 articles by the end of the month.”)

The SMART method for goal-setting is a very helpful guideline to follow.

It’s not 100% necessary that all of your goals follow this criteria, but it’s definitely something to consider whenever you’re setting new goals in an area of your life you want to improve – especially if you’ve struggled with making progress in the past.

While there’s nothing wrong with having a “big vision” for the future – and there’s nothing wrong with having “big dreams” and “big ambitions” in life – setting small and realistic goals is how you get there over-time.

Ultimately, if you can combine a “big vision” with “small and realistic goals,” then you’ll gradually develop a clear and actionable path toward where you want to go in life.

This is one of the core themes in my book Small Habits, Big Changes: How the Tiniest Steps Lead to a Happier, Healthier You, which is all about the power of making small changes and building on them step-by-step.

When people tell me they have a goal but “I don’t know where to start,” I often encourage them to think smaller. I encourage them to ask themselves, “What’s the tiniest step I can take in the right direction today?”

Because if you can make small progress everyday, then one day in the future you’ll look back and be tremendously surprised by just how far you’ve come. As the popular Chinese Proverb goes, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

There’s no step in the right direction that is too small or too easy. You can always take another step, then another, and another.

When you set realistic and attainable goals, you begin to build more confidence in yourself. You begin to see progress. And that keeps you motivated and inspired to keep going. On the other hand, if you set unrealistic or unreachable goals, that will quickly frustrate you and make you want to give up on your goals entirely.

Think small. Act small. And begin making progress today.

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