How Do Short-Term Goals Differ From Long-Term Goals

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Let’s talk about goals in general. I know you have goals; even if you do not think about them, write them on paper or discuss them with anyone.

Often behind a goal are dreams and desires you have not met yet. The difference is that when you call them goals, those dreams are more clear and you can see a path you need to walk to get to them.

Plans give us something to look forward to; when those plans get accomplished, it’s a feeling like no other.

That feeling of achieving our goals makes us more confident and fuels us to continue dreaming, formulating plans, and executing them.

It is ok if we do not accomplish everything in life. If we have goals, we may get close enough to feel satisfied with the results, even if it is not exactly what we wanted.

Having goals makes you a doer and a person with a certain level of motivation and a positive outlook in life.

I know a mom who told her son, “Dream of being the president of our country; that way, maybe you get to be a policeman one day,” meaning maybe you do not get to your big goal, but you will accomplish something.

Dreaming, setting goals, planning, and executing those plans is common in our society. For example, I know people who have set a goal to be financially independent; their goal to become their boss became a reality.   

Again, setting a goal gives you a clear picture of what you want to accomplish and a clear path to getting there.

Examples of Goals

Goals are typically categorized by areas where you want to attain or improve something. You may have financial, relationship, and professional goals, among others.

Some goals are like a short bridge that does not take long to cross, and you are already on the other side. Other goals are like a long and scary bridge, so you must take it one step at a time and avoid looking down or back.

Let’s get to the main topic of this article and talk about the difference between short term goals and long term goals.

What are Short-Term Goals?

• Short-term goals are those you set for yourself to accomplish in a short time, in the next week or month.
• These are often the stepping stones to achieve your long-term goals.
• Short-term goals are integrated into your daily life, meaning you plan to work on them daily.
• As its name indicates, you need to accomplish your short term goal quickly, essential to achieve your overall goals and dreams.
• Some people give short-term goals up to a year to accomplish them.   So,  if you look back at the past day,  week,  month, quarter, or year,  you can determine if you completed your short-term goals.  
• You typically set how long you think it will take to accomplish a short-term goal. I like to set short-term goals for every week and month.

One key factor that I am a big advocate for is having clear short-term goals and building a system to have monthly check-ins with yourself to ensure you are on track with your goals.  

If you are having difficulty accomplishing your short-term goals, chances are that your long-term goals will not get achieved either.

Think about each short term goals as your stepping stone to accomplish bigger goals.

 Read: 5 Simple Steps to Achieve Your Short-Term Goals Effectively

What are SMART Goals?

SMART goals are a framework used to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives. The acronym “SMART” stands for the following:

1. Specific: Goals should be clear and well-defined, addressing the who, what, where, when, and why. They should focus on a specific outcome or accomplishment.

2. Measurable: Goals should have quantifiable criteria to track progress and determine success. This involves defining specific metrics or indicators that can be measured objectively.

3. Achievable: Goals should be realistic and attainable, considering available resources and constraints. They should be challenging but still within reach.

4. Relevant: Goals should align with broader objectives and be relevant to the overall mission or purpose. They should contribute to meaningful outcomes or improvements.

5. Time-bound: Goals should have a defined timeframe or deadline for completion. This helps create a sense of urgency and provides a timeline for monitoring progress.

By following the SMART framework, individuals and organizations can set well-defined, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals, increasing the likelihood of success and effectiveness in goal achievement.

Examples of Short-Term Goals

Let’s explore some short-term goal examples. I have taken some of my personal goals.

Small Projects at Home

• We bought a fixer-upper home that we are fixing one project at a time. Each project, for example, landscape the front yard, is a short-term goal.
• Getting together more with friends and family is another short-term goal of my husband and me.
• Reading one book a month is another short-term personal goal.

Financial Goals  

A main financial goal is to be free of debt and ready for retirement.

So the first short-term goal for the overall goal of being able to retire is to save money every day,  week, and month to pay your debt.

Some ideas on how to do that are saving the money you spend on things that are not necessary,  then at the end of the week, you put that money towards paying off a credit card, for example.  

If you have a financial goal of this nature, I highly recommend you look up what David Ramsey has to offer; he is a true mastermind on this topic.

Another financial short-term goal would be to have an emergency fund.

The short-term goal is to have a savings account where you save money over time to pay off debt. 

Many years ago, I decided I wanted a new car.   I set a goal to save money for it.   Every two weeks, I put money aside until I had $5,000.00, and the right opportunity came; I purchased a used car and had that Nissan Sentra for about ten years with me.   I only got to that goal of getting a new car because I set a goal of saving every paycheck for it.

When you accomplish your goals, it is a sign that you are working on your personal development.  I have a post telling you how to achieve your short-term goals fast and effectively; you can read it here.  

Fitness Goals

• It would be impossible to pretend you can lose extra weight in one day unless you are already fit. Say your goal is to lose 10 lbs.   It is essential to ask yourself the question how am I going to accomplish my goal?
• Then ask yourself when am I going to put into action my plan?   If you know you need to exercise to lose weight, your time to exercise must be in your schedule.
• When you look back at your week, you can check if you accomplished your goal of exercising as many days as you planned, and if you put a goal of how much weight you will lose, you can find out if you need to do something else such as setting a plan for your nutrition/diet,  water intake,  etc.   

More Examples of Short-Term Goals:

Examples of short-term goals can vary depending on individual circumstances and objectives, but here are a few examples across different areas of life:

1. Health and Fitness:

•    – Exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week.
•    – Drink eight glasses of water every day.
•    – Reduce sugar intake by avoiding sugary drinks and desserts.

2. Career and Professional Life/ Development:

•    – Complete a specific training course or certification within the next three months.
•    – Improve a particular skill, such as public speaking or time management, by attending workshops or practicing regularly.
•    – Network and connect with at least three new professionals in your industry within the next month.

3. Personal Finance:

•    – Create a monthly budget and stick to it.
•    – Save a specific amount of money each week or month towards a specific financial goal.
•    – Pay off a certain percentage of credit card debt within a defined timeframe.

4. Education:

•    – Complete assigned readings or coursework by set deadlines.
•    – Improve grades by dedicating specific hours each week to studying.
•    – Seek help from a tutor or academic resource center to improve your understanding of a challenging subject.

5. Relationships and Social Life:

•    – Plan and attend a social gathering or event with friends or family within the next two weeks.
•    – Connect with a friend or loved one whom you haven’t spoken to in a while.
•    – Engage in a new social or community activity to meet new people or expand your network.

Remember, short-term goals should be specific, achievable, and have a clear timeline for completion.

What are Long-Term Goals?

A Long term goal takes more than a year to accomplish, and long-term planning.  They are long-term ambitions and desires.

When you have long-term goals, you are trying to see the big picture of your dreams.  

Sometimes your long-term goals depend on the work you put in to get there, for example, training for three years for the next Olympic games.  

If you do not set short-term goals to accomplish your goal to finish, chances are that your ultimate goal (long-term goal) of going to the Olympics will not come to fruition.  

Are Short and Long-term Goals Related?

Yes,  most short-term goals are related to long-term goals.   The main reason is that it takes small steps (smaller goals/short-term goals) to accomplish things that take more time and accumulating steps to advance a long path.   

You may want to have what other people have accomplished,  but you need to see the long path they have left behind them.   Most good things take a long time to build and many small steps.

It doesn’t matter if it is a short-term or long-term goal. It would help if you put in hard work,  but the accomplished short-term goals are fruits to feel motivated to keep going.

Those short-term goals need to be attainable,  realistic, small-size-bite goals. As we said, you need to accomplish your short-term goals in a day,  a week,  a month, a quarter, or a year. 

Examples of long-term goals. 

• One of my long-term personal goals is to be a successful entrepreneur.   For some people, this may take less than a year,  but I know it will take longer due to the season of life I am in.  
• My husband wants to be debt free, and we just bought a new house last year, so this goal is a long-term goal for us because it takes time to pay off a place.   A short-term plan to accomplish this could be to save monthly money to pay the principal extra.
• Another long-term goal could be to play with an orchestra in a theatre or play an instrument with a famous band.   
• Long-term goals could also be save money to take a sabbatical year to travel the world.    
• Another example is a long-term career goal, such as climbing the corporate ladder.  In other words, instead of being only an employee, you seek to become a director, manager, etc.  
• Your long-term objectives are related to your dreams for the distant future, which may be five years from now or ten, or goals for when you retire, such as being able to be healthy and travel the world.
• Personal long-term goals may be related to getting married, having children, overcoming fears and insecurities, and anything that may be a little more private.

Long-term goals are typically broader in scope and require more time and effort to achieve. Here are some examples across different areas of life:

1. Career and Professional Development:

•    – Obtain a leadership position within your current organization or industry.
•    – Start your own business and achieve a specific level of annual revenue.
•    – Complete a master’s degree or earn a professional certification.

2. Health and Fitness:

•    – Achieve and maintain a healthy weight by following a balanced diet and exercise regimen.
•    – Run a marathon or participate in a challenging fitness event.
•    – Lower blood pressure or cholesterol levels to within a healthy range.

3. Financial Stability:

•    – Build a substantial retirement savings fund by a certain age or milestone.
•    – Purchase a home or property and pay the mortgage within a specific timeframe.
•    – Achieve financial independence by creating multiple streams of passive income.

4. Education and Personal Development:

•    – Earn a doctoral degree in your chosen field of study.
•    – Learn a new language fluently.
•    – Acquire a specific set of skills or expertise that will enhance your career prospects.

5. Relationships and Family:

•    – Establish a loving and supportive long-term partnership or marriage.
•    – Have children and provide them with a nurturing and stable upbringing.
•    – Strengthen relationships with family members and maintain regular communication.

6. Personal Growth and Well-being:

•    – Cultivate a daily meditation or mindfulness practice to enhance mental well-being.
•    – Travel to and experience a certain number of countries or destinations.
•    – Contribute to a charitable cause or engage in meaningful volunteer work.

Remember that long-term goals should be ambitious yet attainable with dedicated effort and a strategic plan. They often require breaking them down into smaller, actionable steps and adjusting to stay on track.

Short- and long-term goals require planning,  hard work,  consistency,  and determination. 

If you have those four ingredients,  you will crush all your goals and may shorten the time it takes to accomplish your long-term goals. 

In Conclusion

Short-term and long-term goals differ in duration, scope, and timeframe for achievement.

1. Duration: Short-term goals typically focus on immediate or near future outcomes, usually achievable within weeks, months, or up to a year. Long-term goals, on the other hand, encompass a broader time frame, often spanning several years or even decades.

2. Scope: Short-term goals are specific, tangible, and narrowly focused, targeting immediate tasks or objectives. They are often steps that contribute to the achievement of long-term goals. On the contrary, long-term goals have a broader scope and encompass more significant achievements or aspirations that require sustained effort over an extended period.

3. Timeframe: Short-term goals have a relatively short timeframe for completion, whereas long-term goals require a more extended period to get accomplished. Short-term goals often serve as building blocks or milestones for attaining long-term goals.

In other words, short-term goals are immediate or near-future objectives that are specific and achievable within a shorter timeframe. In contrast, long-term goals encompass broader aspirations and require sustained effort over an extended period.

Goal setting should be fun, exciting, and motivating.  If you have difficulty reaching your goals, you can review my article about how to achieve them.  

Also, you can sign up to receive my seven secrets to boost productivity and motivation.  Motivation is critical to starting dreaming and setting your future goals.