The Importance of Setting Realistic Goals
Life gets better with plans you can see and measure. A clear plan is like a map—it helps you know where you’re going and keeps you steady when things change.
Just imagine if everyone and everything stayed the same (for a start, there would be no butterflies). If we think about all the problems in England and across the world, often it’s due to being ‘stick-in-the-mud’ people who won’t change. Think about it:
- Presidents that still hark back to previous ‘golden eras’
- Those who don’t want to make changes, to stop climate change.
- People who won’t try different foods, due to ‘tradition’
- People who vote like their parents, no matter what policies
- People who stay stuck in unhappy relationships
- People who play the victim, for past troubles
- People who won’t move on from fearsome religions
If we want to see positive change in the world, it’s totally necessary to embrace some forms of new beginnings. That does not mean giving up your values or heritage.
But it does mean letting go of values and beliefs that no longer serve you (either due to being what someone else told you to believe, or because they self-sabotage your happiness and mental health).
Sometimes we can only find our true direction, when we let the wind of change carry us. Mimi Novic
Everything begins at the beginning. And quite often the beginning begins, when you shift your mind in a new direction. Louie Herron
Small Steps Make Progress Possible
Think about learning to ride a bike. No one jumps on and pedals down a hill on day one. Instead, you start with a few wobbly pushes, sometimes with someone holding your seat. Realistic goals work the same way. They should be more like those first short rides and less like entering a race right away.
Some simple ways to spot a good starting goal:
- Aim to walk a mile a day before planning a marathon
- Try cooking one new meal a week instead of changing your whole diet overnight
- Focus on reading one book a month instead of one each week if you have a busy schedule
Breaking big ideas into small, easy steps keeps things from feeling scary or impossible. Every small step is a win.
Match Your Goal With Your Life Right Now
Ask yourself:
- How much time can I give this each day or week?
- Are there things in my life right now that could get in the way?
- Who might support me when I need help?
If your plan is too big for what fits in your life, consider shrinking it until it feels doable.
Think About Your Skills and Experience
Consider these examples:
If you wish to run each morning, try running for one or two days a week at first, until you build up your fitness, and make exercise part of your daily routine.
If you want to save £5000 this year but you have a small monthly income, try to save a smaller amount, and gradually it will become that amount, whether you find a better-paid job, or it takes a little longer.
If you expect to change your life overnight, you’ll probably feel let down. A realistic goal gives you enough time to succeed but isn’t so far away that you lose interest.
Here are some ways to set timelines that actually work:
- Short deadlines (days or weeks) for habits, like drinking more water
- A month or two for learning a new skill or starting a workout routine
- Longer goals (six months or more) for saving money or big personal changes
Seek Support When Needed
No one does everything alone. If your goal is tough, having support can make it more realistic. This could be friends, family, or a group with similar aims. Sometimes, outside help makes all the difference between giving up and sticking with it.
Ways support can help:
- A friend to join you on walks
- Sharing progress online to stay motivated
- Asking someone for advice when things get tough
Reflect on Your Own Goals
It helps to check in with yourself before setting a new target. Answer these prompts to see if your goal feels realistic:
- Does this goal fit my life right now?
- Do I have the skills, or do I need to start smaller?
- Can I give this the time it needs?
- Who can I ask for help if I need it?
Benefits of Setting Realistic Goals
Everyone likes the buzz that comes after hitting a target. When a goal is realistic, each step forward feels possible. You see real proof you can do what you set out to do. This builds your self-belief and makes you more likely to try again the next day.
For example, if you decide to walk for 10 minutes each morning and you follow through, you’ll feel a sense of pride. That small win may seem minor, but over time, it adds up. Each success tells your mind, “I can do this,” which is the backbone of confidence.
Simple daily wins:
- Cooking a healthy meal instead of takeaway
- Writing a paragraph each day for a story
- Going to bed 15 minutes earlier for a week
Seeing yourself reach these smaller targets lays the groundwork for bigger changes later on.
Keeps You Motivated for the Long Haul
It’s easy to lose interest if your goals are so big that results feel far away. Realistic goals break the journey into short stops along the way, which makes it easier to stay on track. Each time you hit a small target, you get a little boost that pushes you onward.
Think of motivation like fuel in a car. With regular pit stops, you refill your tank and keep going. Without them, you risk running out of steam long before you get close to your finish line. Staying motivated means you don’t quit halfway or let setbacks stop you for good.
Ways to keep your motivation up:
- Celebrate every little step forward, not just the end result
- Keep a written list or notebook to track your progress
- Give yourself small rewards when you reach each checkpoint
This steady progress keeps you interested and helps make success a habit, not just a wish.
For example, if your goal is to save £20 a week, you’ll watch your savings grow over time. That’s far less daunting than waiting for a year to check if you’ve somehow reached a much bigger total. You stay focused because each move forward feels real.
Here’s what steady progress might look like in everyday life:
If you walk 5000 steps a day, that’s over 140,000 steps a month.
If you save £20 a week, that’s £80 saved in a month: and that’s almost £1000 saved in a year.
If you don’t have time to cook a meal each night, do it for 3 nights a week. Then that’s 12 healthy home-cooked meals you’ve managed in a month. Well done, you!
Helps You Bounce Back From Setbacks
Everyone hits bumps in the road. Life gets in the way, or things don’t work out like you hoped. With a realistic goal, these setbacks hurt less because you’re not asking too much from yourself all at once. If you slip up, it’s easier to start again, not give up.
A missed walk does not ruin your whole month. Skipping a day of study won’t undo your learning plan. You can look at the week as a whole and keep your focus on moving forward.
Benefits of realistic goals when facing setbacks:
- Less guilt after a slip
- Easier to get back on track the next day
- No pressure to be perfect, just make progress
Setting realistic goals doesn’t lower your standards. It creates a path you can actually walk, with more wins, stronger confidence, and a lasting sense of pride in what you achieve.
Keep Track of Your Progress
Writing down your progress helps you see what you’ve done and what’s next. It stops the goal from feeling like a vague idea floating in your head. Tracking can be as simple as a checklist, a journal, or an app where you mark your steps.
Here’s an easy way to do it:
- List your small steps in order
- Tick them off as you do them
- Note any challenges or how you felt afterwards
When you see a list filling up with ticks, it’s like proof you’re moving forward. This makes it easier to keep going, even on tough days.
Stay Flexible and Adjust When Needed
Life changes, and your goals can too. Staying flexible doesn’t mean you’re giving up; it means you’re smart about keeping your goals within reach. If a plan stops working, tweak it rather than quitting.
Here are some ways to stay flexible:
- Change your timeline if needed (give yourself more time)
- Alter your steps if one feels hard right now
- Try a different way to reach the same goal (walk instead of jog)
