84 Short-Term Goals + Subtypes & How To Set Them Up

Written by HIGH5 Content & Review Team
August 8, 2024
Strengths
Reviewed by Oda Bjørnevik Frisvold (Håheim)

Achieving any significant long-term aspiration requires leveraging your innate talents and passions through a series of short-term goals bridging the gap. Taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment equips you with invaluable self-knowledge about what invigorates and motivates you at a core level. With that insight, crafting an inspiring short-term goal plan becomes easier – you align each benchmark with naturally engaging your top strengths. This activates an unstoppable drive from within, propelling progress even through inevitable obstacles and stagnant periods.

It will give you the drive to progress with your life or business, and it keeps you moving forward even when it feels like nothing is happening. It’s easy to be discouraged throughout the day with so many things coming at you, such as social media updates, e-mails, or texts that can cause you to question your progress. In this article, we’ll cover how to set a short-term goal, different types of goals, and examples. Let’s get right into it.

What are short-term goals?

Short-term goals are goals that you want to achieve in a relatively short amount of time. They can be for your personal life or your professional life. Typically, short-term goals are less ambitious than long-term goals, and they are easier to accomplish. When setting a short-term goal, it’s important to make sure that it’s achievable and specific. It’s also important to make sure your goal is motivating and inspiring. You don’t want to set a goal that you are not motivated to follow through with. achieving. Finally, it’s important to remember that short-term goals should be connected to your long-term goals. In other words, your short-term goals should help you progress toward your ultimate goal.

Importance of short-term goals and benefits

There are various reasons why short-term goals are important. These include:

They help you feel in control of your life and business
They motivate you to achieve more
They keep you focused on the present moment
They help break tasks into smaller, manageable pieces that are easier to achieve
Short-term goals allow you to celebrate your success when they’re achieved

Boosts motivation

Motivation stems from leveraging your intrinsic talents towards meaningful aims. By taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment, you gain invaluable self-knowledge that allows setting short-term goals aligned with what energizes you most. This powerful motivation comes from intentionally applying your natural strengths to pursue an overarching long-term vision every day through bite-sized objectives. The HIGH5 test provides a crucial insight for channeling your drive productively.

For example, if your long-term goal is to run a marathon and complete it within 4 hours, your short-term goals might include doing leg stretches for 10 minutes every morning before running and going on 5-mile runs twice per week. Completing these short-term goals will help you move towards achieving your ultimate goal – running the marathon.

Mitigates procrastination

Another benefit of setting short-term goals is that they help you mitigate procrastination. It’s easy to get sidetracked throughout the day when doing tedious work, postponing your task with activities such as checking your social media updates. When you have a goal, it helps you decide what tasks should be completed to achieve that goal. When you’re working towards completing a task associated with your short-term goals, there’s less room for other, non-related tasks. Setting a clear plan for what to do and when to do it can help reduce procrastination and encourage follow-through on projects that need to be completed along the way.

Provides a clear direction

When you set yourself up for success by having steady, achievable goals set out for yourself, it becomes easier to work towards what you want to achieve. It helps you focus on the present moment because your short-term goals help direct your path. You know which tasks are important and which ones aren’t, which means less time wasted doing tedious tasks that don’t directly impact your long-term goal.

Promotes career success

When you set yourself up for success by having steady, achievable goals, it becomes easier to work towards what you want to accomplish. Short-term goals help you direct your path and focus on the present moment, instead of getting overwhelmed by the tasks and the amount of work that lies ahead. You know which tasks are important and which ones aren’t, which means wasting less time on tedious tasks that don’t directly to your long-term goal.

Promotes career success

Short-term goals can also promote professional development. How? Well, let’s say there is a career goal you’ve set for yourself – perhaps it’s to become a manager within 5 years of starting at your company. Your short-term goals could include things like taking online classes related to managing employees or getting feedback from upper management about how you’re doing as an employee.

It is a documented fact that setting clear goals has the potential to contribute to long-term success. For instance, a 2017 meta-analysis showed how goal setting is an effective behavior change technique and can be a fundamental component of successful interventions on the path to long-term achievements [1]. Hence, by completing short-term goals that are related to your work, you will be able to achieve a long-term career goal.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

Capitalize on understanding your strengths by designing routines and habits that allow you to operate from that empowered state daily. Identify how each of your top strengths contributes to your motivation, productivity and consistency – then build your lifestyle around maximizing those strengths.

23 examples of short-term goals

Balance your life
Change your job
Read more
Create a morning routine
Improve communication skills
Obtain certifications
Start a personal project
Enhance your performance metrics
Finish an online course
Get to work earlier
Improve productivity
Learn about new technology
Organize your workstation
Start saving money
Create a portfolio
Create a website
Drink more water
Evaluate your current job
Explore new habits
Gaina new skill
Improve personal relationships
Network
Observe and learn from your colleagues

Balance your life

Take time to evaluate different aspects of your life (work, health, relationships) to ensure you are giving adequate attention to each area and maintaining a healthy balance.

Change your job

If you’re unhappy in your current role, start by updating your resume and actively applying to positions that better align with your career aspirations and personal values. Make sure to set aside specific times in your calendar – for instance, one hour each day after dinner.

Set aside dedicated time each day to read, whether it’s books, articles, or journals, to expand your knowledge and improve your mental well-being. Whether fiction or non-fiction, reading not only boosts your creativity and enriches your understanding of the people and the world around you, but being exposed to new words, concepts, and ideas also expands your vocabulary and facilitates cognitive growth [2,3]. A more specific long-term goal could be to read two books a month. To accomplish this, you could set a short-term goal such as reading for half an hour every night before bed.

Create a morning routine

Develop a consistent morning routine that includes activities such as exercise, meditation, or reading to start your day with a positive and productive mindset. There are many ways in which such activities can be scheduled. For instance, setting reminders and using digital tools such as apps to implement wake-up routines has been shown to have a positive effect on the success of such short-term goals [4].

Improve communication skills

Work on enhancing your verbal and written communication skills through practice, feedback, and possibly enrolling in a communication course.

Obtain certifications

Identify and pursue relevant certifications in your field to enhance your professional qualifications and career prospects.

Start a personal project

Begin a personal project that interests you, whether it’s writing a book, starting a blog, or crafting, to channel your creativity and passion. Engaging in creative activities not only acts as a gratifying pastime activity but also has a positive impact on mental health, as learning new skills and experiencing improvements can facilitate personal growth.

Enhance your performance metrics

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measures of performance over time. The core of the concept is to create key targets to focus on in order to achieve a specific objective, for instance, the number of targeted customers per month [5]. Focus on improving KPIs at work by setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals.

Finish an online course

Select an online course that interests you and commit to completing it to gain new knowledge or skills.

Get to work earlier

Arrive at work earlier to give yourself a head start on the day, allowing for uninterrupted time to plan and prioritize your tasks.

Improve productivity

Implement productivity techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique or time-blocking to increase efficiency and effectiveness in completing tasks.

Learn about new technology

Stay current with technological advancements by reading tech news, taking courses, or experimenting with new tools and software.

Organize your workstation

Declutter and organize your workspace to create an environment that promotes focus and efficiency.

Start saving money

Create a budget and set a savings goal to improve your financial health and prepare for future needs or emergencies.

Create a portfolio

Build a portfolio showcasing your work, skills, and achievements to present to potential employers or clients.

Create a website

Develop a personal or professional website to establish an online presence and share your work, ideas, or services.

Drink more water

The importance of staying hydrated throughout the day is well documented [6]. Although the amount of water needed for maintaining optimal health may vary from person to person, a good rule of thumb is to drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Evaluate your current job

Reflect on your current job satisfaction and career progression, and consider making changes if necessary to better align with your goals and values. However, it’s not always easy to know where to start. A good tip is to sit down and write down your reflections on a computer or a piece of paper – for instance, making a list of the pros and cons of your current job and work environment.

Explore new habits

Experiment with new habits that could improve your daily routine, such as meditation, journaling, or exercise. Remember to set aside specific times for engaging in these activities, to prevent yourself from procrastinating.

Gain a new skill

Choose a skill you’d like to develop and take actionable steps to learn and practice it regularly. Just as with creative activities, learning new skills – in the context of both work and personal life – can also boost your confidence and self-development. Why not try out a cooking class or engage in a new sport?

Improve personal relationships

Work on enhancing your relationships by spending quality time with loved ones, communicating effectively, and showing appreciation.

Network

Expand your professional network by attending industry events, joining online groups, or reaching out to new contacts. As mentioned, creating a portfolio and/or professional website are short-term goals that align well with this objective.

Observe your colleagues

Take time to observe and learn from your colleagues’ strengths and work habits to improve your own performance and teamwork skills. If uncertain, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions – most people appreciate the opportunity to showcase their skills to others.

Examples of more specific short-term personal goals

Short-term personal goals can include:

Creating a workout schedule that includes going to the gym 3 times per week, for about an hour each time.
Decluttering your room by sorting through all of your clothes; get rid of anything you don’t wear anymore and organize your closet.
Going grocery shopping on Saturdayafternoons so it’s easier to prepare healthy meals during the busy workweek.
Planning dates with friends at least twice per month.
Make a daily To-do list before leaving work so you remember everything you need to accomplish for the day.
Starting meditation practice, for instance, meditating every morning for 10 minutes.
Setting up an automated transfer from a paycheck into a savings account so there’s always money left over at the end of the month.
Carving out time on weekends to take care of errands that can’t be done during the week (i.e. doctor appointments, getting the car washed).
Delegating household chores (making a list, assigning times for when they need to be completed).

Pro Tip From HIGH5

Reflect on past successful personal growth and identify which of your strengths drove that positive change. By consciously applying those strengths to new goals, you replicate that magic and deepen self-efficacy. The HIGH5 test reveals those strengths clearly.

Examples of short-term health and fitness goals

Short-term health & fitness goals can include:

Losing 5 pounds this month.
Exercising 3 times per week.
Taking the stairs at work rather than the elevator.
Drinking more water throughout the day (8 glasses).
Planning a weekly schedule of fun activities to stay motivated and active.
Invest in a Fitbit or other wearable device so you can track your steps/calories burned each day.
Assessing your diet and figuring out where you’re lacking nutrients by reading through a food calculator.
Eating more fresh vegetables.

Examples of short-term career goals

Short-term career goals can include:

Taking on more responsibility at work, for instance by asking your boss if you can take over responsibility for certain projects.
Conducting 10 informational interviews with people in jobs that interest you to learn more about the field.
Starting a blog or website that allows you to share your passion for a certain topic and generate income from ad revenue.
Taking an evening class at a local college on a topic related to your career goals.
Registering for industry-related events in your area so you can network with professionals working in your desired job sector.
Keeping up with relevant articles/podcasts/videos by reading one per day, listening to one per week, and watching one documentary per month.
Reading 30 minutes before bed every night to wind down after work.
Allocating an hour before work every day to meditate, do yoga/stretches, and plan the workday.
Taking a weekend trip just to relax and enjoy yourself, exploring new places/activities that interest you is a great way to recharge and get back to work stronger.
Learning a new skill related to your career.

Examples of short-term workplace goals

Short-term goals in the workplace can include:

Creating a weekly schedule.
Having lunch with one person from work per week to collaborate and learn from them/network.
Meeting with your boss one-on-one to discuss how you can improve in the future and what areas they see you growing in.
Scheduling an hour during after-work hours (such as 5:30-6:30 PM) three times per week to focus on personal tasks without distractions.
Reading relevant blogs/books/articles, at least two per month, so you stay up to date in your field.
Taking an online course on a topic that interests you to learn more about it.
Setting one goal for each quarter of the year. These can be long-term or short-term depending on their impact and the time frame needed to accomplish them.
Learning how to type faster with both hands so you are not wasting time looking at the keyboard.
Allocating two hours per week to go through LinkedIn recommendations for people who might have similar backgrounds and work interests as you, and reaching out to them.

Examples of short-term relationship goals

Short-term goals for your relationships can include:

Calling or texting your parents once per week to check in with them.
Setting up a family fun night with your siblings, cousins, children, etc. where you can brainstorm new activities to do together.
Planning for an annual retreat with old friends so you can catch up and see each other outside of work/school events.
Setting aside time for one-on-one chats during the week (15 minutes is enough) to catch up about anything and everything.
Learn how to be better at communicating openly and honestly with those around you.
Reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while and ask how they are doing.
Offering up your skills/time, whether professional or personal, to someone who asks for it.
Knowing more about what your friends are interested in so you can suggest activities that interest them more than the activity you are planning on doing together.
Going on at least one trip with your family every year so you can bond outside of everyday life.
Learning how to cook a new meal for those you love.

Examples of short-term financial goals

Short-term financial goals can include:

Saving $10/day for 30 days.
Learning how to create a budget and stick with it so you can feel more in control of your money.
Saving up enough money to pay for a weekend trip with friends.
Sharing your financial goals and dreams with someone qualified (a parent, teacher, etc.) and asking them if they can help you achieve them.
Put aside at least $10/week towards an emergency fund for unexpected expenses.
Learning how much money you are spending on things you don’t need.
Allocating $50/week towards your loans so they will be paid off by the time you retire.
Creating a budget that allocates 40% of each paycheck towards bills, 20% for savings/investments, and 40% towards discretionary spending.
Deciding to save up all of your tax refunds instead of spending it without thinking twice about it.

How do you track short-term goals?

Tracking your short-term goals can include:

Writing down the goal on a piece of paper or on an online document
Hanging up a calendar somewhere visible enough, so you can see what needs to be done every day.
Creating an online document with your goal at the top, tracking progress down the side in a line graph or spreadsheet.
Writing yourself a reminder email or create an automatic alert on your phone that will show up in your inbox when needed.
Printing out notes of important tasks and put them in your wallet/purse to casually remind yourself of your short-term goals.
Pinning your tasks on top of any digital calendar(s) so they cannot be ignored or forgotten.
Creating checklists for each task so everything gets done correctly and efficiently.
Setting aside time every day to cross off one thing from your list until you finish all of them.
Have bulleted journals for each task so you know exactly what needs to be done without having to read paragraphs of information.
Tracking progress on a day-to-day basis, rechecking it every 4-6 weeks to make sure nothing has gotten off track and everything is continuing as planned.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

Envision how operating from your signature strengths, identified by the HIGH5 test, might influence the goal-tracking methods that resonate most. Do your strengths indicate a digital or paper-based system would work better? Should you track alone or report to an accountability partner? Design your system around what motivates you.

Methods for setting short-term goals

SMART goals

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This method involves clearly defining your goal (specific), determining how to measure progress (measurable), ensuring the goal is attainable (achievable), aligning the goal with broader objectives (relevant), and setting a deadline (time-bound). By following the SMART criteria, you create well-structured and actionable goals.

Objectives and key results (OKRs)

Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) is a framework used to set and track goals and their outcomes. The “Objective” is a clearly defined goal that is ambitious and inspiring, while “Key Results” are specific, measurable actions that will lead to the achievement of the objective. This method promotes alignment, focus, and measurable progress, allowing individuals or teams to work towards common goals with clear indicators of success.

How do you set short-term business goals?

Setting up short-term goals is easy once you know how to go about doing it. Here are some tips and tricks to follow:

Identify your company’s short-term business goals for a set period
Break down each goal into actionable business objectives
Ensure your objectives are measurable
Assign goal-related tasks to employees
Measure progress regularly

How can short-term goals help you in the workplace?

Short-term goals enhance focus and efficiency, allowing for steady progress toward larger objectives. They help in managing daily tasks more effectively, boosting productivity and motivation. By achieving these goals, you can demonstrate competence, gain recognition, and contribute significantly to team success.

How can short-term goals help you in your private life?

Short-term goals help you stay focused and organized in your personal life, making it easier to manage daily tasks and achieve personal aspirations. They provide a sense of accomplishment and motivation as you see tangible progress. By setting and achieving short-term goals, you can enhance your well-being, build healthy habits, and maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Short-term goals FAQ

What are short-term goals examples for students?

Students could aim to pass a test, finish a project by a certain due date, or achieve something in their personal lives, such as exercising more often.

What are short-term goals examples for teenagers?

Teens could establish short-term goals related to their education (such as doing better than they did on the last math quiz), aiming to be more involved in school activities, or improving friendships with others.

What are short-term goals examples for an interview?

When interviewing for a job at any age, it’s important to demonstrate how you would complete certain tasks and what kind of worker you would be overall. You should always try and do your best during the interview process.