How to Set Mid-Life Goals

Mid-life is an interesting time for many people. Because many individuals find their lives shifting in significant ways or they don't feel the excitement they used to in their younger years, they will act out and do something out of character in an attempt to over-compensate for their feelings. Setting mid-life goals can help you avoid or deal with a mid-life crisis in a healthy way, getting you back in touch with the excitement of life and living for something higher than your current situation.

Instructions

• 1

  Write down the things in life that are most important to you. This list can include anything; just make sure to be true to your feelings and your inner self. This will help you see where you will get the most fulfillment out of life and will help you shape your goals.

• 2

  Make a list of all the different things you've already accomplished with your life. Write down important goals or mile markers you've reached in your work, education, family, spirituality and charity efforts. Looking at all the things you've been able to successfully accomplish will help you see that you are a very capable person and that you can handle any type of goal you want to set for yourself.

• 3

  Picture your ideal life in five, 10, 15 and 20 years. You don't have to set goals 20 years in advance, but it will give you an idea of which roads you need to pursue in order to get there. Look back to the list of things that are most important to you to help you decide how you want to advance in each of those areas. Separate each ideal part of your life and write it down as a goal for yourself. Figure out what you will need to do to get there. Create a list of steps you need to take in order to reach these different goals.

• 4

  Set deadlines or time frames for each step of each goal. Having a deadline for each part of a goal will motivate you to take action to make it happen. Make sure the goals and timelines are achievable and realistic.

• 5

  Create a document to refer back to that allows you to mark off when you accomplish each step and reminds you when to begin working on something else to improve your life or the lives of those around you.