50 Life Goals Examples For a Happy, Healthy, and Successful Life

“I want to set long-term goals for my life, but I lack ideas.

Can you share any life goals examples to help me get started?”

First of all, let’s remind ourselves that life is not something that can be planned 100%.

And that’s okay!

However, the fact that we can’t control everything doesn’t mean we can’t dream and set meaningful goals.

Deciding on smart and enjoyable life goals can help you to enjoy and embrace the ride while creating a life you are proud of.

A life that excites you!

How often do you think about your life goals?

When was the last time you really decided – and worked – on a goal?

What has brought you here to look for these life goals examples today?

Whether you’ve had an epiphany or are in the spirit of making resolutions, something inside you signaled that it’s time.

It’s something you need.

In this article, we’re exploring what makes life goals so impactful and sharing 50 life goals examples that can be beneficial to almost anyone’s life.

After that, we’re brainstorming a few helpful ideas to make your goals easier to manage.

 

What Exactly Are Life Goals?

 

Simply put, life goals are things, dreams, and tasks that you want to achieve or accomplish in your life.

Life goals can be big or small, but they essentially act as a framework to help you work on things that actually matter to you.

Life goals can be both short-term and long-term.

 

Why It’s Important To Set Life Goals?

 

Social research hints that setting life goals can give you a great sense of happiness.

Personality psychology believes that they can boost your motivation.

According to Laura King, PhD Professor of Psychological Sciences, setting life goals can even improve your mental health.

This isn’t to say that every aspect of your life needs to be planned or will go according to the plan.

However, regularly setting and reviewing your life goals can help you to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

 

What Are The Different Types Of Life Goals?

 

Life goals can be organized into several types or groups

 

• Life goals that apply to your professional life or career;

 

• Financial goals;

 

• Life goals related to personal development;

 

• Spirituality-focused life goals;

 

• Fitness goals and health goals;

 

• Life goals related to our social life, families, and relationships.

 

As these tend to be five of the most important aspects of our lives, they are what we usually focus on when creating our life plans.

In this article, we have combined a perfect life goals examples list to help you choose, set meaningful goals, and make the first steps toward them!

 

50 Great Life Goals Examples: Improving Life One Goal At a Time

Let’s start with…

 

Simple Life Goals Examples For Everyone

 

These life goals examples are perfect for absolutely anyone, and they’re also a great way to start your life improvement journey.

 

1. Read 20 Pages Daily

 

Books are a source of knowledge.

Many wish they could read more but don’t know where to start or how to find the time.

Setting a small, attainable reading goal is much easier than saying, “I will read one book every week.”

 

2. Write a Diary or Chronicle

 

Often, we take small things for granted – even the fact of how effective it can be to pour your thoughts onto a page.

Whether your day was happy, sad, or depressed, journaling can be a great outlet.

On the other hand, writing a diary can help you document your life and create a chronicle that might be beneficial or interesting to read when you are older.

 

3. Learn To Get Out Of Bed When The Alarm Goes Off

 

We can’t judge you for hitting the snooze buttons a few times through the morning – we do it, too.

But to make your morning routine less stressful, it’s best to get up the first time your alarm goes off.

Just imagine how much more effective your life can become if you wake up like this every day.

 

4. Have a Tradition of “Personal Day”

 

We all need to play a little sometimes.

Make it one of your life goals always to find time for yourself.

That means no work, no chores, no obligations – just you and something truly indulgent (like a spa day).

If you have no clue what to do on your personal day, even walking in nature or meditating for a while is good enough.

Related: How To Have a Perfect Wellness Day At Home

 

5. Travel Whenever You Can

 

Life is short, and before you know it, you will regret not taking more trips.

There are so many beautiful places and experiences to be had worldwide.

Presenting yourself to different climates, spaces, and surroundings will improve your creativity and broaden your views.

You may find yourself living a more intentional, mindful, and content life too.

 

6. Always Focus on the Solution, Not The Problem

 

Often, we focus on all of the things that are going wrong and the problems created in our lives.

Rather than focusing on what is going wrong, set a goal to always focus on how you can solve a problem.

Setting this as one of your personal goals will help you shift your mindset and become a great problem solver.

 

Life Goals Examples For Happiness and Good Living

 

Are you longing for true, pure happiness in your life?

Is the ultimate happy feeling something that sounds fulfilling?

If so, these life goals examples are definitely for you.

To achieve happiness and fulfillment, try to set one or several of these life goals.

 

7. Achieve Stable Happiness

 

We all yearn to live carefree and with absolute bliss.

Everybody has their version of happiness, but most people discover joy by leading a meaningful, authentic, and productive life.

Learning to maintain a positive life can help you to experience more bliss throughout the days.

Related: How To Live a Really Peaceful Life

 

8. Give Back to Others

 

When we help other people, it gives us a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Giving our time and energy to those who can benefit from our service is an incredible way to give back.

Selfless acts can genuinely enrich your life, and it’s one of the most beautiful life goals you can set for yourself.

 

9. Pursue Your Passions

 

One of your biggest life goals could also be to live passionately.

Allow yourself to find something that makes you feel alive and excited about life!

Once you learn more about what you are passionate about, go after it.

Chasing after something that makes you bold and ecstatic can bring happiness and give your life a dynamic feeling.

 

10. Lovingly Take Care of Yourself Each Day

 

It is easy to prioritize others and set their obligations before our own.

While it may seem like putting yourself last is a praiseworthy or selfless act, you may actually be hurting the ones around you.

To be helpful and cheerful, we have to take care of our own needs, just like our loved ones.

 

11. Be a Part Of Community

 

We have all seen what happens when we aren’t able to hang out with our family and friends.

Loneliness is a gateway to anxiety and depression.

When we socialize, we feel connected, and this improves our mood and our mental health.

So, set a goal always to find time to catch up with old friends or give your mom a call (if you want to), and be active in any communities you will join throughout your life.

 

12. Move Out Of The Comfort Zone as Soon as You Notice It

 

We often spend a great deal of energy trying to avoid being uncomfortable.

But staying in the comfort zone prevents you from improving yourself and your life.

While not easy, it can be meaningful to set a life goal to regularly challenge yourself to get out of your comfort and face something hard or new.

 

13. Wrap Your Days With Gratitude

 

This is one of the simplest yet most rewarding life goals.

No matter what you’re working on, every morning when you wake up, take five minutes to write down your thoughts in a gratitude journal.

This will help you wrap every day of your life with a bow of gratitude and appreciation.

Also, aligning your intentions and gratitude from the moment you wake up will fill your days with more purpose.

Related: 40 Things To Be Grateful For + Free Printable Gratitude List

 

Life Goals Examples For Health and Longevity

 

These life goals examples focus on how to improve your health over time, keep your body healthy, and live a longer life.

To stay healthy through the years, explore these healthy life goals and choose a few that feel most helpful.

 

14. Master Your Sleep Life

 

Sleep is crucial to good health.

When you sleep, your body repairs and your cells regenerate.

Most people with optimal health get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Make it a goal to optimize your sleep schedule, hygiene, and conditions fully, anywhere you are.

 

15. Exercise Regularly and Continuously

 

Moving your body is very important to your health.

It gets your blood pumping and circulates fresh air throughout your body.

In your life goals list, include a goal to get 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Try to include strength exercises in your routine, too, at least twice per week to maintain a healthy body.

Even if physical activity scares you at the moment, it doesn’t mean you can’t achieve beautiful fitness results in the long term.

 

16. Eat Plants (Vegetables, Fruits) Every Day

 

We are not suggesting that you go vegan or vegetarian unless you want to, but it is essential to include many different vegetables and fruits daily.

They should be on your plate with every meal.

Think of it as maintaining a plant-focused diet.

Once you start replacing junk food with nutritious meals, a healthy lifestyle goal will be achieved easily.

 

17. Completely Replace White Flour with Whole Grains

 

Despite what diet culture wants us to believe, carbs are not inherently bad for you.

But it’s a good idea always to try to and, if possible, fully replace white flour with wholegrain products.

Whole grains give you the energy to get through your day and are essential to your digestive health.

Include at least three servings of whole grains in your daily meals.

 

18. Get Omega 3 Daily

 

Healthy fats are great for your hair, skin, and nails and keep you satiated.

Omega 3 fatty acids, in particular, are also essential to keep your heart and brain healthy.

Make it a goal to include it in your diet every day.

Good sources of Omega 3 are fish oil, fatty fish, flaxseed oil, walnuts, and canola.

 

19. Break Bad Habits As Soon As They Are Noticed

 

Dependency issues can have detrimental effects on your physical and mental health.

Bad habits create unhealthy fixations and obsessions with things that dull your response to the life around you.

Make it a life goal to, whenever you notice a dependent tendency in your life, do everything you can to curb it as soon as possible.

This can prevent many problems throughout your life.

 

20. Form a Fulfilling, Regular Spiritual Practice

 

Whether it is praying before bed, meditating before starting your day, or hiking to a Japanese mountain temple, some sort of spiritual practice can also be good to our health.

It gives us clarity and makes us feel more connected with ourselves, the universe, and our purpose.

 

Life Goals Examples For Personal Success

 

It’s not a secret – success can be an enormous source of happiness and confidence in our lives.

These life goals examples focus on small, success-aimed actions that can help us achieve a successful life.

 

21. Keep Learning New Skills Your Whole Life

 

Do you feel like you’re regularly falling into a bit of a rut?

Or maybe you are feeling uninspired...

Whatever the case, it can help to learn a new skill regularly.

It can be something that advances your career (like learning a foreign language), or it can be a specific goal that interests you personally.

 

22. Be Regularly Active In Networking Activities Related To Your Profession

 

This is one of the most valuable, smart goals you can set.

Sometimes, our tendency to isolate ourselves or do everything ourselves can hinder achieving the best things in our lives.

Your ability to network with people and develop a sense of authority and influence within your industry can greatly help you to progress toward your career goals.

This is much more than good talking or social climbing – networking is about creating valuable connections.

Show others how passionate and well-versed you are regarding your field.

Make friends among professionals.

Be a part of social communities!

 

23. Start Your Own Business (If You Want To)

 

Building your own business and becoming your own boss is usually a long-term goal.

Yet, it is one of those life goals that can teach you a lot about yourself, the world, and the people around you.

Entrepreneurship is never easy, but it is certainly possible.

 

24. Become an Expert In Something

 

This goal requires consistent work to achieve but can be very satisfying once achieved.

Showing passion, exploring, learning, and understanding every aspect can make you a true expert in anything you like.

 

25. Build a Career

 

This is a popular goal of many people worldwide.

Mostly anyone working in a job with career options wants to advance and climb the ladder.

It’s a good goal and often one of the best ways to build long-lasting personal success.

 

26. Fully Master Your Productive Side

 

Nothing feels better than knowing you worked through the day and completed everything you wanted.

This usually occurs when you have optimized your time for productivity.

Take a step back and identify which practices positively impact your productivity and those that don’t.

Once you notice any culprits or issues, work to improve them.

Eventually, you will know everything about your productive side: what makes and keeps you productive, what helps and what doesn’t.

This will make you a master of your own productivity and help you through your whole life.

 

27. Never Settle – Change Things That Don’t Suit You

 

Success is not staying in a job you despise.

If you are no longer passionate about your job or your career is leaving you feeling unfulfilled, or if you’re living from paycheck to paycheck, consider looking for a career in a new industry or other ways to improve your situation.

 

Financial Life Goals Examples

 

Being financially free is a dream of virtually everyone.

Working on financial freedom can eventually enable you to achieve more life goals from other categories.

To build financial freedom for yourself, set the right goals!

 

28. Become Debt-Free

 

A particularly important goal is to become debt-free and experience financial independence.

This is something that can have a positive effect on every area of your life, and a large part of it is managing your debt correctly.

 

29. Build a Well-Stocked Nest Egg

 

The emergency fund remains incredibly important.

You can rest much easier knowing you have funds to keep you safe if anything happens at any point in your life.

Of course, this is not an easy task, but putting some money away each month can help protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances.

It can be the difference between a bad situation and a horrendous situation.

Even a little money set aside is better than no money set aside.

 

30. Pay Off Student Loans

 

This is likely one of the long-term life goals for many, and paying off your student loan debt should be considered a priority.

Student loans tend to be very forgiving but are almost impossible to claim on bankruptcy, meaning that these loans stick to you like glue.

 

31. Consciously Prepare For Retirement

 

Have you heard of compounding interest?

If not, you need to look it up now.

Everything you save in a 401k, Roth Savings Account, or other independent investment will help you build wealth for retirement.

Investing is one of the most common ways to ensure a secure retirement, but there are also many other ways to save for retirement.

The key here is to set this goal and work on it until you can retire safely.

 

32. Create Multiple Income Streams

 

This goal might not suit everyone, but for people who are interested in a self-supporting lifestyle, it’s something to think about.

Most millionaires have at least seven streams of income (and not all of those are active).

Finding ways to build your wealth and earn money from multiple sources will help you to create more assets.

 

33. Have At Least One Passive Income Stream

 

A passive income stream is a way to earn money without spending time.

This can occur through investing, having a digital product shop, or even uploading YouTube videos that go viral (harder to do, yet can be quite profitable).

 

34. Learn To Detach Yourself From Material Stuff

 

It is easy to want to buy everything in your sight, especially when social media has become so centered around advertising and reviewing various products.

But being able to live beyond your means can significantly affect how comfortable you are in case an unexpected life turn happens.

So, strive to continuously learn not to get attached to the items and things you own.

After all, they are just things.

 

Relationship-related Life Goals Examples

 

Our family members and the people we care about will always be important.

Building beautiful relationships requires both time and effort, yet it is something even more valuable than money – in any person’s life.

In your family or relationship goals list, include one or a few of these.

 

35. Make Communication an Emphasis In Your Life

 

Communicating your feelings and needs, sharing joys or even sadness with others regularly leads to much more content and prosperous relationships.

Hint: To be a good communicator, learn to listen to others when they speak (be an active listener).

 

36. Continuously Work To Understand Your Partner (If You Want To)

 

One of your life goals can include being a really good partner.

Feeling special and important is something that everyone needs in their life.

So, make sure you work to understand your partner, support him or her, and help them if they need it – through your whole life.

 

37. Learn To Forgive

 

Our friends, family, colleagues, boss, and even partners can do things that hurt our feelings – it’s a part of life.

And you can also do things that hurt yourself or others.

This is why forgiveness is so important.

Not only do our loved ones deserve our grace and mercy, but we also deserve forgiveness for ourselves.

 

38. Set and Keep Your Relationship a Most Important Priority

 

Between school, work, kids, and other activities, it is easy to stop seeing your partner.

Your relationship is your safe place, and that part of your life needs to be nourished daily.

Make it a goal always to take the time necessary to give your relationship the time and energy it deserves.

 

39. Maintain Close Connection With Your Immediate Family (If You Want To)

 

If you have a good relationship with your family members, it can be a nice goal to keep the connection flourishing throughout your lifetime.

Quality time is crucial to bonding and developing a deeper tie, yet it is so easy to fall into a vicious work-home-work cycle.

So if you want to, make it one of your life goals to spend special time with each family member whenever you can.

You will be happy that you did when you’re older.

 

40. Build a Date Night Tradition

 

The intimate part of a relationship is crucial to the health of your family, so it is important to nurture it.

Build a tradition to schedule a date night with your love regularly to ensure that you get enough time to communicate and practice intimacy.

It’s one of the easiest goals that can actually create big results over time.

 

41. Become an Excellent Arguer

 

Learning to argue effectively can be helpful in group discussions and conversations with people around you.

Make it a goal to become a great arguer and approach the situation constructively.

This will help you to always move past the problem and grow as a person with every argument you face.

Related: How To Argue And Win, Without Making Enemies

 

Life Goals Examples For Meaning and Purpose

 

Finding the meaning of life is something everyone wants to achieve.

But is it just one goal or a set of smaller goals ultimately leading you to inner peace?

In Japan, there is a concept of Ikigai, which says that the ultimate meaning of your life is at the intersection of what you love to do, what you can do to get paid, what makes you passionate, and what the world needs.

In this life goals examples list, let’s look at goals that might help you find your “reason to be.”

 

42. Be a Source of Kindness To The World

 

Kindness is free to give, and it really is as easy as regularly showing kindness to others.

Being kind to others is a beautiful way to feel connected, contribute to humanity, practice mindfulness, and add purpose to your life without selfishness.

 

43. Become a Life-long Learner

 

Continuous learning and personal development is the perfect way to make us feel alive, even as we age.

And when we feel better, we act as the best possible version of ourselves.

By aiming to reach your full potential, you will live a life with less regret.

Personal development can also inspire you to move forward and get up again, even if you have hit rock bottom in your life.

 

44. Toss Bad Relationships Before They Poison Your Life

 

Whether it’s a not-so-romantic relationship, a narcissistic relative, or a toxic friendship, if it is draining your time, energy, or happiness, then it has to go.

You can’t live your best life if you keep investing in a relationship that isn’t fulfilling.

Always prioritize your mental health, and if someone threatens it (even words can hurt a lot), do what is best for you and create distance.

 

45. Surround Yourself with a Company of Good People

 

By surrounding yourself with those you look up to, who are nice to be around, or those you admire, you can become a better person too.

Make it a goal to find or build a nice company of friends you can trust and have fun with.

If you don’t have such people around you at the moment, don’t fret.

Life is full of opportunities to meet new people – just make sure you’re actually somewhere where people are.

 

46. Continuosly Try Something New with a Loved One

 

Do you have someone in your life that you would like always to get closer to?

Or maybe your bond or relationship with someone always feels like it’s lacking something…

Trying something new or adventurous with someone you love has the effect of bringing you closer together.

To build beautiful, long-lasting relationships, strive to do that as often as possible.

 

47. Become a Source of Deep and Meaningful Conversations

 

Regularly having an open, honest, and vulnerable conversation with someone can consistently add more meaning to your (and their) lives.

If you like deep discussions, make it a goal to be the one who initiates it, gathers people around, and shares the best ideas.

 

48. Become a Master Of Your Screen Time

 

Most of us stare at screens all day for work, then come home and stare some more.

We spend way too much time connected to a screen, letting our lives fade away while we do it.

But it is you who is the master of your own screen time.

You can decide how much time is acceptable for you, as a person, to spend on devices.

It’s not easy to minimize device usage quickly – we live in a tech world after all.

But it can become a goal you can work on continuously until you feel in control.

 

49. Become Fearless

 

If you are afraid of something, it will likely stall your growth.

When something feels intimidating, try facing your fears and learning to remove, control, or at least accept them (as long as it’s safe, of course!).

By doing this regularly, you can live life with less fear and regret.

 

50. Learn From Every Failure And Mistake as You Go

 

When you embrace that nothing and no one is perfect, your failures can be turned into lessons.

Decide to use every mistake or failure to learn something new about yourself and the world or people around you.

This approach will help you to become someone who never fails but always learns.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How To Set SMART Life Goals?

 

Smart life goals have five characteristics that make them easier and more likely to be achieved.

When deciding on your goals, make sure they are:

 

• Specific: define what, why, when, with whom, and where it will be achieved;

 

• Measurable: define how exactly you will tell you’re progressing or achieving the required result.

  Usually, it involves questions like “How much should be accomplished?” or “How can I tell that the goal has been reached?”;

 

• Attainable: your goal should be possible to achieve and realistic;

 

• Relevant: does your goal align with your life situation, personal values, views, abilities, and beliefs?

 

• Time-bound: your goal should have a deadline.

  Again, the date itself should be realistic too.

 

You can use these characteristics as a compass to set smart goals in different areas of your life.

It is worth remembering that smart goals are especially important in academic life.

Setting specific goals makes your learning more meaningful and boosts your motivation.

According to essay writers from the top paper writing service for students, setting study goals and objectives helps students perform better and achieve higher levels of success.

 

How To Organize Your Life Goals?

 

It’s a good idea to organize and categorize your goals.

It helps ensure you’re working on every important part of your life.

If you noticed, this list of life goals was also categorized.

If you want to create your goal map, it can be useful to use our free goal planner.

With a planner like this, you can list your goals in categories like:

 

• Health and fitness goals;
• Career and business goals;
• Family and parenting goals;
• Financial goals;
• Spiritual goals;
• Intellectual goals;
• Emotional goals;
• And so on.

 

You can also create a bucket list to include things you would like to try, visit, or get one day (crossing everything on this list can also be a life goal!).

Another way to organize your goals is to use a monthly goal planner (free!) to set sub-goals on a monthly basis.

If these methods feel too complex, there’s also a way to organize your goals by splitting them into Intrinsic and Extrinsic goals.

 

• Intrinsic goals focus on things that make you feel good inside – self-acceptance, self-worth, affiliation, emotional wellness, and intimacy;

 

• Extrinsic goals focus on things that make you feel better about your social status and place in your community – appearance, financial success, social status, recognition, etc.

 

Of course, it’s up to you to decide which of these goal categories is more important, but studies suggest that giving more focus to intrinsic goals is better for our emotional wellness.

 

How To Start Working On Your Life Goals?

 

Getting started on your personal life goals is as easy as writing them down.

To start, you can choose a few life goals examples you liked on this list.

To make sure you don’t get overwhelmed, try to set just one or a few life goals at first.

After writing your life goals, create an action plan.

This plan should include measurable steps and achievements on the way to accomplishing every goal.

Keep a record of your progress.

 

How To Achieve Life Goals Faster?

 

There’s a lot of time, usually, and there’s no need to rush.

However, it’s beautiful to breathe life in and enjoy every moment bringing you closer to your dreams!

If you want to achieve your life goals faster, here are a few things that can help.

 

• Work on your motivation. It’s the driving force of everything we do, so if there’s anything that makes you more willing to work on your dreams, do it!

  Maybe you like to read inspiring attitude quotes,  maybe you feel more motivated when you practice self-discipline, or maybe you need to learn how to be more patient.

  Find what makes your heart glow up and use it.

 

• Read books that inspire and make you stronger. It could be self-help books or even autobiographies – if they’re able to inspire you, they’re good to go.

 

• Address your mental health issues if you have any.

  Things like unresolved psychological issues, childhood trauma, anxiety, and depression can all work to stop you from achieving your goals in life.

  It doesn’t have to be this way.

  Getting to a better mental state can be crucial if you want to change your life.

  It’s best to approach this with the help of a mental health professional, who can help you find the best way to heal.

 

What To Do If Your Life Goals Change?

 

If you are trying your best, but your goal isn’t working, no matter what, consider changing it.

It doesn’t make you a failure.

It simply means that your goal was not right for you.

If you have to change a goal that you thought was important, give yourself time.

Accept the change in your heart.

It may take time to get used to it – be gentle with yourself.

When you feel better, reevaluate what is essential to you and create new life goals that might be better for you.

 

Pursuing Life Goals For a Better Future: Conclusion

 

Setting life goals is a powerful process that enables you to envision your ideal future and motivates you to turn that vision into reality.

It involves identifying what you truly aspire to achieve in various aspects of your life, be it personal, professional, or spiritual.

By setting these goals, you provide yourself with a clear focus and direction.

This process not only adds more meaning to your daily life but also helps align your short-term actions with your long-term objectives.

As you work towards these goals, each day gains purpose and significance, guiding you in making decisions and choices that contribute to a fulfilling and balanced life.

In essence, life goals act as beacons, lighting the path toward a more intentional and rewarding existence.

We hope you liked this list of life goals examples and found a lot of ideas.

Scroll down for more helpful content below!