Do you have lots of goals, but none of them seem to be within reach? This could be because you don't know how to formulate your goals. The way they are formulated has a significant influence on whether a project can become a reality.
A concrete and realistically formulated goal increases the likelihood that you will really stick with it to the end: And that's what ultimately matters if you want to change something in your life! Concretely formulated goals, on the other hand, can make you lose your bearings. Goals that are too big can be demotivating.
If you know what to look out for, formulating goals is no longer that difficult. Your plan should be formulated positively in the present tense and describe the desired result as specifically as possible. It is also important that the wording allows you to measure success: After all, how else are you supposed to assess how close you are to your goal or whether you have achieved it?
Do you want to learn how to not only define goals, but also achieve them in the long term? Then take a look at our articles "Achieving goals: how to really stick to them" and "Time management: tips for more focus & clarity" - ideal for implementing your 2025 target plan in a meaningful way.
At this point, we come to another important factor in formulating helpful goals: the time frame. A good goal formulation includes a time limit for when the result should be achieved. Without a time limit, you run the risk of unconsciously letting your efforts slip.
How big or small your goal should be can only be judged on the basis of your individual situation. Experience has shown that for personal Motivation It is much more advisable to formulate small goals that lead to quick, measurable success. Put simply, formulating goals should always take place within a realistic framework.
Have you ever heard of the SMART method? Basically, this method briefly and concisely summarizes all the important factors that are important when formulating goals:
You can also find a detailed explanation with further practical examples in our guide to the SMART Method.
The world is changing - and so are our goals. Here are three examples of modern, everyday SMART goals that you can apply directly to your life:
"I reduce my screen time to less than 2 hours of leisure cell phone use per day and do a digital detox every Sunday from 5 p.m. - for more mental clarity and better sleep."
KPI: Screen time tracking, better sleep score (e.g. via app)
"I will complete a certified online course in AI & Leadership by 30.06.2025 to qualify for management tasks in the home office."
KPI: Certificate completed, new tasks taken on in the team
"From now on, I plan to spend 2 hours together with my partner every Thursday evening without technology to strengthen the emotional connection."
KPI: Number of evenings without disruption, self-reflection or feedback
Formulate your goal as precisely as possible. It is best to do this in writing! Your wording must leave no room for interpretation. You need to know exactly what the final result should be.
Make sure that your goal formulation feels good to you! It should motivate you to work towards your goal without putting you under psychological pressure. Also question whether it is really about your wishes or whether your goal formulation perhaps reflects the expectations of other people.
For larger goals in particular, it has proven useful to divide them into small steps. In this way, you can immediately measure whether your target project is moving in the right direction or whether it is stagnating.
As already mentioned, it has proven to be a good idea to formulate smaller goals and then set yourself a new goal. Make sure that your goal formulation is realistic and that you formulate it accordingly.
Your smart goal formulation should always include a deadline: By when should the project be completed? The deadline is of course based on the scope and effort of your goal, but should preferably not be too far in the future.
Now you have already learned a few things in theory about what you need to consider when formulating goals. Now it's time for a few concrete examples that you can apply to your personal goals.
Instead of: "I would like to Career make."
Lieber: "I would like to be a member of the Team leader be promoted."
Instead of: "I want to become slimmer."
Rather: "I want to lose 15 kilos in a year. My partial goal is at least half a kilo per week."
Instead of: "I need a bigger financial cushion for vacations and purchases."
Rather: "I would like to save €3,000 in one year. I'll pay €250 into my savings account every month."
A professional Coaching is ideal for people who have difficulty formulating goals. Using methods tailored to you, you will be given the tools you need to formulate profitable goals and ultimately achieve them. A coach helps youdiscover your own strengths and use them to your advantage.
How easy or difficult it is for you to formulate goals depends to a large extent on your personality. If you are more of a reserved person, you may formulate your goals more cautiously. This doesn't have to be a disadvantage! As you now know, realism is a significant factor. However, it is important that you don't underestimate yourself. Have a little more confidence in yourself step by step.
The more self-confident you are, the easier it will be for you to formulate positive and realistic goals that really come from yourself. If you find that your goals often fail or that you give up quickly, it may be useful to review your Self-confidence to focus on the future.
We never tire of repeating it: The first step is to formulate your goal as specifically as possible. Also set deadlines and sub-steps.
Once you have formulated your goal (e.g. using the SMART method), you should start implementing it immediately. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you will discard your plan.
In many cases, a little external encouragement helps. Once you have told other people about your goal, you may not give up as quickly as if nobody knows about it.
As already mentioned, it is helpful to set yourself milestones so that you can regularly check your progress. Depending on the project, you could, for example, take stock of how far your project has progressed on a fixed day of the week. For larger projects, perhaps once or twice a month.
If you find that you are not making progress, this is no reason to give up! Instead, you should rethink your strategy and make adjustments if necessary. Regular performance reviews will help you to take countermeasures at an early stage if your project is not developing as desired.
If you ever go through a phase of demotivation, keep the result in mind. Imagine exactly how it will feel when you have achieved your goal. This will give you a new boost.
There is nothing wrong with seeking support in achieving your goals. Perhaps you know people who have achieved what you are currently striving for? Don't be afraid to ask them for advice.
Achieving personal goals is a great way to Feeling. Learn from your experiences for the next goal: What was good and what could you do differently for the next goal?
There are certain mistakes that occur again and again when formulating goals. The good news is that if you know the pitfalls, you can avoid them. These include
Take ten minutes to write down your goal using the SMART method - and make it measurable. You'll be surprised how much clarity can motivate you.
And if you want to go even deeper: Start with our free Personality Testto find out what really drives you.
Formulating goals correctly is the first step towards achieving them. In addition to a realistic Setting Goals it is important that you formulate your goal in concrete terms and make success measurable through milestones. The following has proven particularly effective for formulating goals profitably SMART Method.
To arrive at your own vision, you are welcome to take a little time and look at these Ask questions: If you could wish for anything and every possibility was open to you, what would be your greatest, your most beautiful goal? Here you can dare to go far. What do you really want to achieve? After all, this is about your own personal goals. What do you want? What do you wish for deep in your heart?
