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How to Set One's Life Goals

Setting life goals helps you stay mentally healthy, productive and happy. Psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania suggest that the key to happiness is maintaining desire, such as a desire to accomplish something, finish something or go somewhere. Setting life-long goals allows you to set distinctive objectives that will provide you with this desire, and this can increase the sense of joy and fulfillment in your life.

Things You'll Need

  • pencil
  • paper
  • calendar
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put a piece of paper in a location that you pass by throughout the day. Tape it to the front of your refrigerator, place it next to your desk or set it on your nightstand. You want to have a solid foundation for brainstorming ideas, and this piece of paper will allow you to jot down a quick idea as you go throughout your week.

    • 2

      Think of short- and long-term tasks that you want to complete before you die. Mindtools.org suggests that you break your goals into big tasks and smaller ones; the smaller ones can help you get to some of your bigger goals. Throughout the week, jot these down. Do not worry about what is possible or probable. Don't edit anything.

    • 3

      Separate the items on the list into short-term and long-term goals after a week's time has elapsed. Short-term tasks should be things that can be completed in the next one- to five years. Long-term items should be things that will not happen in the next 10 years.

    • 4

      Edit both lists until you have a manageable number of practical goals. ZenHabits.net suggests that you focus on one short goal at a time, which will help you make progress towards your long-term goals. So ensure that you have short-term goals that can fit into the scheme of your larger and long-term goals.

    • 5

      Get a calendar and set the completion dates for your tasks. In addition, write out the steps required to accomplish the task, as this will help you ease into the process of completing them. For example, if one of your items is "visit Spain", then you should set a date by which you want to have booked a flight. This will force you to commit to your goal.

    • 6

      Share your goals with friends and encourage them to accompany you in completing the tasks. This will keep you accountable.

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