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What Are Short-Term Goals?

A short-term goal is something you want to do soon. Short-term goals can help you make big changes.

A short-term goal is something you want to do in the near future. The near future can mean today, this week, this month, or even this year. A short-term goal is something you want to accomplish soon. Here are examples of short-term goals:

  • Take a class
  • Buy a new television
  • Write my resume

Something that will take you a long time to accomplish is called a long-term goal.

Both long- and short-term goals can help you in your career. Short-term goals help you think about what you can do right away. They can help you manage your time. Short-term goals might seem small, but completing them can lead to big accomplishments in your life and career.

Practice identifying short-term goals.

Directions: Look at the pair of pictures. Point your mouse on the picture you think shows a short-term goal.

Student talking to teacher.
Talk to the teacher after class.
Teacher in front of classroom
Go to community college.
Couple smiling and sitting close together.
Get married and have a family.
Young professionally dressed man reaching to shake hands with employer
Apply for a job.
Two students talking together.
Learn how to speak English fluently.
Man at ATM. Close by a woman is at an ATM.
Deposit a check this afternoon.
Father with young daughter shopping for groceries
Buy healthy groceries.
Front door at house
Buy a house in five years.
Time sheet on mobile device
Arrive on time for work.
Two professionally dressed men in conference room
Become a supervisor at work.
To become a supervisor at work takes time and hard work. This is not a short-term goal.
You can arrive on time for work starting today. This is a short-term goal.
Buying a house in 5 years is not a short-term goal.
You can start buying healthy groceries right away. This is a short-term goal.
Depositing a check this afternoon is a short-term goal.
Learning to speak English takes time. This is not a short-term goal.
Applying for a job is a short-term goal.
It takes time to start a family. This is not a short-term goal.
This is a short-term goal.
This goal will take time to make happen. It is not a short-term goal.

Sometimes accomplishing short-term goals can help you achieve one big long-term goal. For example, arriving to work on time everyday can help you get promoted to a supervisor job.

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