Do you want to become the best version of yourself? 

If yes! 

Then you need a plan. But, this kind of plan isn’t going to come true in a twinkle of an eye as they are known as long term goals or plans. 

The end product of these goals are enviable, productive, ambitious and worthwhile but it takes preparation, diligence and commitment to achieve them. Setting long term goals gives you something to look forward to in the future! 

In contrast to short term goals that come with immediate results, long term goals follow a gradual process, something I would call a ” maturity or evolving process”.

Unfortunately, we struggle to set realistic long term goals and follow through till the end. I recall abandoning certain goals as I felt they weren’t achievable due to the long time frame.  However, I pulled through and reopened those closed chapters with the tips I will be sharing with you in this post.

I will walk you through the processes on how to set and achieve your long term goals amidst discouraging echoes. Likewise, the benefits and examples of long term goals.

Let’s begin.

What Are Long Term Goals?

Simply put, long term goals are futuristic plans, visions or targets. 

These are goals with a long time frame often between 3-15years or more. Whether it’s for yourself or organisation, long term goals need to be specific and measurable. 

These goals are often ambitious, and challenging, requiring sustained efforts to stick with it till results are achieved. While long term goals come with less pressure to meet deadlines, It’s easy to get discouraged when working on long term goals. 

Therefore, you need to learn how to break your long term goals into smaller units of short term goals and keep them flexible—As circumstances are bound to change. 

Benefits of Long Term Goals

Setting long term goals comes with tons of benefits: 

Self-Discovery

Setting long term goals sets you on the journey of self-discovery as your values, strengths, and passion unveil with the process of time. Similarly, these goals can help you discover the strengths and values of your team and organisation.

Direction and Focus

You become certain of what you want to achieve, which helps you prioritise and utilise your resources and effort effectively.

Personal and Professional Growth

Long term goals enhance a growth mindset.

In other words, it drives learning, skill building, self-improvement, and resilience to overcome obstacles and setbacks. 

Increase Productivity and Creativity

Your productivity will receive a boost when you set long term goals because these goals require time management, efficiency and effectiveness. Likewise, you become creative as you engage in innovative thinking and problem solving to achieve your goals.

Accountability

Success is certain when progress can be tracked and measured. Long term goals offer you the leverage for frequent and continuous self-assessment.

Inspiration and Motivation

Are you tired of a boring life and daily routine?

If yes, set long term goals for yourself. 

These goals keep you motivated daily, always having something new to engage in to move closer to your goals. 

Sense of Accomplishement

Helping someone with what they couldn’t do comes with a heroic feeling synonymous to a sense of accomplishment.

That said, achieving long term goals brings fulfilment, pride and satisfaction.

How to Set Achievable Long Term Goals?

Let’s find out: 

Reflect on Your Value and Priorities

What matters most to you in life? 

Take out time and reflect on the key aspect of your life you would love to improve— family, career, health, personal growth. 

Your long term goals must align and reflect your values and priorities for easy accomplishment. 

For instance, I value financial independence, and want to prioritise wealth creation through investment and entrepreneurship. Or I value my family’s well-being and want to prioritise spending quality time with them.

Assess Your Current Situation

Be open and honest about your current situation. 

Take out time to assess your progress thus far. Personally, when I became honest about my inability to keep to time, I started to take deliberate actions on building time management skills. 

Assessing your current situation is made easier by understanding your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats—SWOT analysis. 

Create SMART Oriented Goals

When it comes to setting long term goals, you must be realistic and specific on what you want to achieve and how you want to achieve them. 

Clearly articulate what you want to achieve and sure these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound(SMART).

For instance; I want to reduce my work hours by 10% within the next 6 months to spend more time with my family.

Identify Possible Obstacles and Challenges

Oftentimes, obstacles are inevitable on our path to achieving our goals!

You need to identify those possible obstacles that might hinder you from achieving your long term goals. Most importantly, identify possible solutions when those obstacles come.

 For instance, when my business proposal is rejected, instead of being discouraged, I fall back to supportive friends, family or mentors. 

Create an Action Plan

Without an actionable plan, your long term goals would remain wishes that might never come true!

Develop a step-by-step plan with deadlines and resources needed to achieve them. For instance; To learn time management skills, I’ll: + Research online courses (1 week) + Enrol in a course (2 weeks) + Practise new skills for 30 minutes daily (ongoing).

Long Terms Goals Examples

Perhaps you’re still unsure of what are the long term goals you should set for yourself, I have categorised realistic long term goals you can set for yourself and organisation. 

Long Term Career Goals

According to Forbes, employees who set goals are 1.4× more likely to achieve success than those who don’t. Hence, you definitely need to set long term career goals to get to the top ladder in your career.

 This includes: 

• Attain a Promotion: Reach top leadership positions such as CEO, CFO or COO in your field. 

• Become an Entrepreneur: Start and grow a successful business or create innovative products or services. 

• Learn a New Skill: Master a specific skill or craft such as data science, cybersecurity, or creative writing and become a go-to expert. 

• Earn a Degree: Earning a degree or additional degree is one of the achievable long term goals you can set for yourself. This could be a master’s or doctorate degree that increases your knowledge.

• Increase Your Salary: This long term career goal comes with the need to earn more for valuable reasons such as comfort, investment, or wealth building.

• Networking and Mentorship: Build a strong professional network, mentor or coach others, and help them achieve their goals.

• Leadership: Develop a core leadership skills and qualities. This includes, effective communication, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and decision making. 

• Career Transition: The need to transfer to a new industry or field is a long term goal that requires learning and training through the process of time.

Long Term Financial Goals

Staying off debt isn’t enough to make you financially stable. You need clear and specific long term financial goals that guide your financial decision in wealth creation, savings, investment and spending. 

These long term financial goals includes: 

• Retirement Savings: Accumulate enough wealth to maintain a comfortable lifestyle in retirement.

• Wealth Creation: Build a significant net worth through investments, entrepreneurship, or other means.

• Home Ownership: Purchasing a primary residence or investment properties is a long term financial goal that helps you cut down expenses on house rental fees. 

• Education Funding: Save for children’s or grandchildren’s education expenses.

• Debt Elimination: Pay off high-interest debts, such as mortgages, loans, or credit cards.

• Financial Independence: Financial independence is one of those long term goals you need—A state where passive income exceeds expenses.

Long Term Personal Development Goals

Becoming the best version of yourself is a deliberate action that calls for long term personal development goals. 

This includes: 

• Develop Emotional Intelligence: Improve self-awareness, empathy, and social skills.

• Learn a New Language: Become proficient in a new language, such as Spanish, French, or Mandarin.

• Improve Time Management: One core long term goal you need irrespective of age and specialisation is improving time management— Develop effective time management skills, prioritise tasks, and increase productivity. 

• Pursue Higher Education: Earn a degree or certification in a field of interest.

• Develop Public Speaking Skills: You mustn’t be an extrovert to master public speaking. Join a public speaking group, take courses, and practice speaking in front of audiences.

• Enhance Problem-Solving Skills: Develop critical thinking, analytical skills, and learn to approach problems from different angles 

• Build Self-Confidence: Work on building self-esteem, self-worth, and confidence. 

• Pursue a New Hobby: Develop a new skill or hobby, such as playing an instrument, gardening, or cooking.

Long Term Health Goals

Health is Wealth!

That said, you need to be healthy to achieve every other long term goal example outlined in this guide. 

This includes: 

• Maintain a Healthy Weight: Reach and maintain a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

• Exercise Regularly: Engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week.

• Eat a Balanced Diet: Focus on consuming whole, unprocessed foods, and limit sugary and salty snacks. 

• Reduce Stress: Develop healthy coping mechanisms, such as meditation or yoga, to manage stress levels.

• Improve Sleep Habits: Establish a consistent sleep schedule and create a relaxing bedtime routine to improve sleep quality.

• Limit Unhealthy Habits: Reduce or eliminate unhealthy habits, such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, is a beneficial long term health goal to set for yourself.

Long Term Family and Relationship Goals

“Family is the compass that guides us; it’s the inspiration to reach great heights and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” —Brad Henry.

Therefore, you need to set clear long term family goals to help maintain the relationship. 

This includes: 

• Strengthen Family Bonding and Romantic Relationship: Schedule regular family activities and date nights to foster closer relationships.

• Improve Communication and Conflict Resolution: This long term goal can be tasking but with the conscious practice of active listening, expression of empathy, and addressing conflicts effectively, you can enhance family and relationship communication.

• Plan for Education and Personal Growth: Support family members’ educational and personal development goals, such as attending workshops or pursuing hobbies.

• Create a Family Legacy: Develop a shared sense of purpose, values, and heritage to pass down to future generations.

• Support Each Other’s Passions and Interests: Encourage and participate in individual family members’ hobbies and passions to foster a sense of unity and support over the next 2-5 years.

Tips for Achieving Long Term Goals

Break Down Long Term Goals into Smaller Ones

Due to the long time frame in achieving long term goals, discouragement and frustration are bound to set in.

However, breaking big goals into smaller ones helps fasten the process. Create a roadmap to achieve your big goals by dividing long term goals into smaller manageable objectives. 

For instance, to reduce work hours, I’ll: Delegate tasks to colleagues (within 3 months), learn time management skills (within 2 months) and discuss flexible work arrangements with my manager (within 1 month).

Establish Accountability

You might never take your long term goals seriously without an accountability system. Share your goals with a trusted friend, partner or mentor who would serve as a watch, support and reminder. 

Most importantly, don’t hesitate to schedule regular check-ins for support and guidance. Perhaps, if you’re working on publishing a book, you can meet with a writing group every 2 weeks to discuss progress on your book.

Track Your Progress and Celebrate Milestones

To achieve notable results with your long term goals, track your progress and celebrate milestones. 

By regularly monitoring your progress, you can identify areas of improvement, stay motivated, and adjust your strategies as needed. Whether it’s through journaling, spreadsheets, or mobile habit tracker apps like Strides, or Todoist, find a method that works for you and consistently track your progress.

On the other hand, celebrating your milestones and small wins helps you to acknowledge and reinforce the progress you’ve made, providing a sense of accomplishment and encouragement to continue working towards your long term goals. 

For intance, you consistently went to work 10 minutes earlier for a month, celebrating yourself with your favourite meal—I do go out on a special outing when I attain notable milestones.

Be Flexible

Change is a constant in our journey of life likewise in achieving goals!

I hate to break this to you, but your goals might not go as planned. However, this is not a course for alarm but a call to embrace flexibility as you plan your long term goals. 

Be open to revise and adjust your goals as circumstances evolve. Personally, when my research takes longer than expected, I adjust my timeline accordingly. 

Stay Positive and Motivated

To stay committed to your long term goals even when the going gets tough, maintain a growth mindset. Be optimistic even amidst difficulties—don’t give up on your goals. 

Staying positive and persistent might be easier said than done but it’s possible when you set a support system in place. 

I usually fall back to my positive energy quotes when faced with setbacks and discouragement—you too can have a list of things that keeps your motivated on the standby. Also, whenever you encounter setbacks, always remind yourself why achieving your long term goals is important— which is greater than the obstacle facing you. 

Create a Supportive Environment

Build an environment that draws you closer to your long term goals daily. 

In other words eliminate distractions by; 

• Turning off notifications
• Logging out social media when working
• Having a dedicated workspace
• Avoiding multitasking and negative self-talk
• Prioritising self-care

Identify those things that serve as distractions and keep a deliberate tab on them. I personally, create a quiet writing space with minimal distractions which enhances my creativity and speed. 

Stay Consistent and Persistent

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do, and to persist in doing it.” – Steve Jobs

Your long term goals might take 5years or more to become a reality but what matters most is that you stay consistent to the goal at hand. 

Be deliberate about achieving your goals no matter how little the progress may be. For instance writing 500 words daily might not produce a novel in a week’s time but when you keep at it for over months you’re sure to publish your book—Just keep writing even when faced with writer’s block or self-doubt.

Seek Help and Guidance

When you encounter road blocks on the way, don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance from those who are more knowledgeable in your specific field. Having problem resolving conflict at work? Seek the help of a conflict resolution and negotiation coach. 

Final Thoughts on Tips to Set and Achieve Your Long Term Goals

We become optimistic about our future when we set in place long term goals. 

These goals come with inspiration and motivation to do our best daily, and make those little changes leading up to a giant stride.

However, refuse to chicken out when faced with obstacles, instead stand brave, embrace flexibility, seek guidance and always remember the reasons why achieving your long term goals matter most to you. 

What steps are you taking to achieve your long term goals? Do let me know in the comment section. 

Frequently Asked Questions