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6 Personal Development Goals
I had someone recently ask me to help them create some personal development goals. This person knew that writing goals was one of the first steps in achieving something and just needed a little guidance. We talked about those things that were important to her and we brainstormed different areas in her life that were of interest to her.
The list of things she wanted to focus on were the following:
- personal finance
- health and wellness
- nutrition
- spiritual development
- golf (hobby)
- technology literacy
After we developed the list we worked together to take each of these areas of interest and develop SMART goals for them. By writing SMART Goals we were adding accountability to the goal by determining a target completion date. We also added a measure that would determine the effective result of completing the goal.
6 Sample Personal Development Goals
1. Personal Finance
Managing our personal finances is critical to achieving financial freedom and our retirement dreams. Learning how to manage money is the first step in the process.
A personal finance goal might be: Pay off all consumer credit debt by December 20XX.
2. Health and Wellness
Too many Americans neglect the importance of taking care of their bodies but much of that has to do with the lack of education people have had about health and wellness. When I was in my 20s someone said to me, “you will be able to tell when you turn 40 years old how well you took care of your 20 year old body..†It was such an eyeopening statement that I took it to heart and have made a lifestyle choice to constantly be looking at ways to improve my health.
A health and wellness goal might be: Lose 15 pounds by April 15, 20XX.
3. Nutrition
Learning about nutrition and how food works within our bodies is one of the keys to feeling good and managing our weight. Having an understanding of how different foods affect our energy levels, moods and even weight maintenance can help to bring balance to our lifestyles.
Example nutrition goal: Establish healthy eating habits by January, 20XX.
4. Spiritual Development
According to healthandage.com, people who attend church services frequently have less anxiety, depression, lower blood pressure, fewer strokes and fewer suicides than those who are not as regular in attendance.
A spiritual development goals might be: Find a church and get plugged in by September 30, 20XX.
5. Improve Golf (Hobby) Skills
Having a hobby outside of work and personal responsibilities helps to keep us balanced and even helps to reduce stress in our lives.
A goal to improve golf skills might be: Register for golf lessons at the community college for fall session 20XX.
6. Improve Technology Literacy
Technology has creeped into all of our lives and keeping up with the new gadgets and trends can be a constant challenge. For me personally, it feels like as soon as I get one thing figured out (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook) something new (Pinterest) comes along.
A goal to improve technology literacy might be: Schedule an evening with your kid, niece, nephew or anyone under 30 to give you a lesson in the latest and greatest technology tool by September 15, 20XX.
As we go into fall it might be a good time to start your own list of personal development goals. Taking the time to think about what is important to you and mapping out a plan to accomplish something that will improve yourself is a great way to end the year and start the next.
What personal development goals do you have?
