I’ve been writing down and pursuing goals for about five years and have seen some wonderful results, including:

• Running my first triathlon
• Losing 50 pounds
• Starting my own business and transitioning to fulltime self-employment
• Becoming someone who prays and meditates regularly

The list goes on. But my list of goals achieved is, of course, not the whole story. I have fallen short numerous times over the years—so many times, in fact, I’ve questioned whether goal setting is all it’s cracked up to be.

Given all the good that goals have brought into my life, though, I’ve grown suspicious of the internal voice that tells me to jettison them. To do so, I think, would be to throw out a lot of good with the bad.

Goals have been great for my physical health!

But what if I (what if you) could retain all the positive aspects of goal setting and get rid of the negative aspects? That’s the purpose of this article. I want to commend a handful of strategies that have helped me cultivate goals that are both productive and sustainable.

If you implement these into your goal-setting process, I’m confident you’ll see more success and experience less disappointment. You’ll be able to achieve your goals and have fun doing it!

1. Focus on Doable Processes, Not Disembodied Milestones

In the past I’ve set goals that are detached from reality. For example, I’ve set a goal like “Bring in an average monthly revenue of X this year.” That’s all well and good, but if that goal is not supported by a strategy that is deeply rooted in reality, it’s not really a goal. It’s a pie-in-the-sky wish or something.

It is far better, in my experience, to focus less on disembodied milestones (you can keep them in the back of your mind) than the actions you can actually control to make progress toward these milestones.

Bottom line: Frame your goals in terms of what you can do.

Furthermore, if you follow through and do the action you specify in the goal, you’ve accomplished your goal, regardless of the outcome. You did that which was within your control to do, and you’re a lot further ahead than if you hadn’t. And you deserve whatever reward you’ve established for hitting the goal, which brings me to our next strategy.

Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash

2. Predetermine Rewards for Hitting Your Goals

I try to establish a reward for each of the goals I accomplish. Sometimes it’s simple: “Take an afternoon off and go see a movie” or “Go to Cabela’s or REI and buy some camping gear.” Sometimes it’s bigger: “Go skydiving” or “Get a Peleton.”

It sounds strange, but coming up with rewards can be really tough. Maybe it’s because we’re not accustomed to being intentional about rewarding ourselves.

To overcome this challenge, it’s a good idea to brainstorm possible goals ahead of time. Here are some questions to help you get started:

• What are some sweet treats you’d really enjoy? (For me, sometimes nothing beats a Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard, amen?)
• What’s something fun you could do if you took a day or half a day off? (Go golfing? Art museum? Spa?)
• What trips would you like to take? (Think of places both near and far.)
• What are some experiences you’d like to have? (Skydiving? Hot air balloon ride? Jet skiing?)
• What is some training you’d like to receive? (Cooking classes? Guitar lessons?)
• What are some relatively inexpensive items you’d like to have? (My list includes a new button-up shirt and running gear.)
• What are some more expensive items? (An autonomous mower? Furniture? A new car?)
• What are some subscriptions you’d like to try? (Need some ideas? Google is your friend. I just googled “meal subscription that teaches you how to cook” and found an article about four such services. Incredible!)

When you do this brainstorming, don’t limit yourself. Just go crazy and list out whatever comes to mind. Then you’ll have a list to refer back to when setting rewards for accomplishing your goals.

3. Set Goals within a Larger Framework of Life Design

Goals do not make a life. They are in my opinion one important element of a fulfilling life, but they are not the sum total.

To approach my goals as if they alone are an adequate framework for life is to put too much weight on them. In my experience it’s also a good way to set yourself up for a life that’s not much fun. Someone might say that’s because I’ve not included enough fun goals in my list, but honestly this doesn’t go far enough for me.

What helps me personally is to think about the trips I want to take during a given year. Importantly, I equate these trips with fun—when I get to see new places, have new experiences, rest, and connect with those I love.

I could add all these trips to my goals list, but then I’d have this giant list of goals, which isn’t helpful for reasons I’ll cover in the next strategy.

The point is to help yourself see a future life you’re excited about living.

Your goals should be part of that vision, but what else should be part of it? What else do you need to write down in addition to your goals? In my case it’s trips I want to take. Someone else may want to write out a way of working that is life-giving or how they’re going to invest in a particular relationship.

4. Limit the Number of Goals You Pursue at Any Given Time

Feel free to write out as many goals as you like, but my strong recommendation is to limit the number you actively pursue at any given time. 

Here’s why. Study after study show our brains are not very good at multitasking. We focus on one thing at a time.

The result for me is this: when I have a long list of goals I’m pursuing, I end up focusing on two to four, and the others chatter away at me, reminding me that I’m not making progress on them.

The solution: setting a time horizon for each goal. For example, which quarter of the year do you want to focus on each goal?

Establishing a small number of goals for each quarter has helped me stay focused on my most important priorities without the guilt of goals languishing on the side.

I hope these strategies are as helpful to you as they have been for me. If we can focus on doable processes, predetermine rewards, see goals in the context of a fulfilling lifestyle, and limit the number we actively pursue, we’ll go a long way toward goals that are both productive and sustainable.

Question: Which of these strategies is most helpful to you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.