At the heart of all personal goals is the same objective; to be happy. Of course, there are many pathways to happiness. For some, like Robert Frost, the path to happiness means taking “the road less traveled” and experiencing new things, working hard, or building character through adversity. For others, the path to happiness involves introspection, participating in enjoyable activities and following conventional wisdom. There are many areas where one can set personal and life planning goals — whether it’s weight loss, quitting smoking, finishing college, getting married, starting a family, saving up a down payment or changing bad habits.

Losing weight is one of the most popular personal goals Americans have. It’s a lot easier to put on a few pounds than to lose them, and reaching goals of weight loss or better fitness requires a lot of discipline. The best way to approach weight loss is to start by setting realistic goals — like losing 10% body weight to start. So if an individual weighs 200 pounds, then he or she can start by working to lose 20 pounds. It’s also wise to break down a list of short term goals that will lead to that long term goal of weight loss. Work out 3 days/week, choose a weekly cardio class at the gym, rat more salads, weight train once a week and/or limit desserts to once per week. Many people trying to lose weight also link up with friends who have the same agenda so they can work as support networks for each other.

Sometimes personal goals are related to relationships. People may want to fall in love this year, meet someone with similar interests and a similar background, go on more dates, overcome shyness, meet more people or repair an ailing relationship. People may have the goal of getting engaged and married, or the goal of starting a family. While they may not seem like long term goals, they must be treated as such because there is much to do before reaching that point. To get married, there are dozens of steps to consider, from affording the rings and finding a house, to booking an officiant and reception hall. To start a family, individuals must be making enough money to support the new additions to the family and have enough space to live. Some of these goals involve a little bit of luck, but there are many ways for a person to set him or herself up for success too.

Personal goals may involve the desire to experience something refreshing and new. For instance, many people want to travel the world. To meet this dream, they should ask themselves questions. Which countries do I want to visit? How many places can I afford to visit each year? How much money do I need to save to reach my priority goal for this year’s travel? World travelers will need to prioritize which order to visit their desired locations and they will also need to set personal goals related to finances to achieve their dreams. Of course, to “see the world” is just one objective for someone who wants a new experience. There are many others, like sky diving, learning a new language, learning to play an instrument, getting a tattoo, swimming with dolphins, taking dance classes, learning to cook and/or meditating.

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