As we barrel toward the end of this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about my 2016 goals.

It looks like my success rate in 2016 will be 40 percent. When I first noticed this, I was disappointed. I was even tempted to think horrible things about myself: “I’m a loser! I’m no good!”

But here’s what I’m learning about setting and achieving goals: It is more art than science, and like any art, proficiency takes time.

Those Sneaky Goals!

I tend to think our lives are composed of short-, medium-, and long-term projects. Short-term projects are things like mowing the lawn or cooking dinner. Medium-length projects are things like renovating a kitchen or developing a product or editing a manuscript. Long-term projects are measured in years—like earning a college degree.

Here’s the thing. Goals are sneaky. Setting and achieving goals seems like a short-term project (setting goals) followed by a series of medium-term projects (actually achieving those goals). But what’s missing here is the reality that the whole endeavor of setting and achieving goals is a long-term project.

You get better at it as you do it. Over time (and if you’re setting goals annually, from year to year) you learn:

• How to pick your goals
• When to let goals go
• When to change strategies to achieve your goals
• The importance of setting some realistic goals, some stretch goals

Key Things I’ve Learned about Goals

So how do I feel about my 40 percent success rate? I’m okay with it!

For one thing the goals I did accomplish are really important to me, and I may not have hit them if I hadn’t gone through the process of setting and pursuing them.

For example, one of the goals I achieved was “Go on a two- to three-night hiking/camping trip with Lucas [my son] by September 1, 2016.” Below is a snapshot of our trip.

We packed in all our belongings and planned to filter water from a nearby lake, but a friendly outgoing neighbor gave us two two-gallon containers of the good stuff. Score!

We had a blast! In fact, Lucas and I enjoyed this trip so much we’re planning to do it again in 2017.

Also, when it comes to the annual process of setting goals and the throughout-the-year process of achieving goals, I’m a newbie. Learning how to do it well is a long-term project. It’s going to take time.

One more thing. My friend David Wenzel reminded me of this: If you achieve all your goals, they’re probably too easy.  My goals, I can safely say, were not easy.

Would I have liked to hit more of my goals? Of course! But I did accomplish things I wouldn’t have otherwise, and I’m going to cut myself some slack because I’m new to this whole annual goal-setting thing.

What about Your Goals?

Where are you in all this? Did you set goals for 2016 and you’ve already forgotten them? Did you set goals but failed to achieve them? Did you nail every goal you set? Are you looking back at 2016 wishing you had set goals?

Whatever your situation is, I want to encourage you to jump in to this long-term project of setting and achieving your goals. You know the old adage: “If you don’t have a target, you’ll hit it every time.” As I engage the process, I hope you will too.

If you want to get started today, consider taking the LifeScore Assessment, designed by my friend Michael Hyatt. Your LifeScore Assessement will give you a quick glimpse into how you’re doing in a variety of areas in your life, from personal to professional.

I just took it and got a 63. It was fun to take. It’s quick. And it’s a great way to begin entering the goal-setting mindset.

To get your own score, CLICK HERE.

Idea: After you take the LifeScore Assessment, stop back here and leave a comment with your LifeScore and your own thoughts about goal setting. I look forward to hearing from you. You can leave a comment by clicking here.