Short-term goal or long-term goal?

stickwithme

I've noticed that some people give themselves short-term goals that are much lower than their long-term ones.

I, on the other hand, have set my goal at around 45 kg (100 lb) for the long-term, but have a mental idea that I'd like to lose 10 kg by mid September, but of course at the moment that's just something I hope will happen rather than being an actual goal.

So I'm wondering, what's the benefit of breaking down goals? Is it motivation? A way to stop yourself getting overwhelmed by the numbers? Or is there some other reason?
What do you do and why?

stfuriada

Positive reinforcement.

If you see yourself progressing, bit by bit, it encourages you to go the distance.

gogophers

Short term goals in any situation help you assess progress. If you want to lose 100 pounds by a certain time period and that's your only goal, it's difficult to determine if you're on track. With shorter term goals, you will always have an idea of what needs to be done that day or that week. If you miss your goal by .5 pounds you can determine what the issue was and change it (sometimes the problem is with your goal as opposed to your progress, but as you continue you'll get better at setting goals).

Also, I think the difference between "where you want to be" and your "goal" is just semantics.

Duck_Puddle

Short term goals in any situation help you assess progress. If you want to lose 100 pounds by a certain time period and that's your only goal, it's difficult to determine if you're on track. With shorter term goals, you will always have an idea of what needs to be done that day or that week. If you miss your goal by .5 pounds you can determine what the issue was and change it (sometimes the problem is with your goal as opposed to your progress, but as you continue you'll get better at setting goals).

Also, I think the difference between "where you want to be" and your "goal" is just semantics.

This.

I am a project manager and being good at that requires breaking things down into levels of minutiae that would make government bureaucrats cringe. Breaking things down provides a plan-and breaking things down into small, measurable steps helps identify where things may go (or have gone) off track and also allow you to measure whether you are on track or not. Plus it's motivational to feel like you are accomplishing something over the short term-especially if what you're looking at as an end goal is a long way off.

cari4jc1

I have my long term goal to lose 69 pounds, but I have weekly and monthly goals to keep me motivated. I also have a little reward system set up so if I meet my weekly goal I get an extra $5 or if I meet my monthly goal I'll get $20 or a massage or something else, but having those short term goals helps keep me motivated and helps me to stay on track and so I see progress. I don't really have a deadline though for my long term goal although I'm hoping to have it reached by Christmas time, but as long as I reach by next summer I'm cool with that too.

hbaby08

I think short term is better, i am learning to keep a specific goal over a specific timeframe. I want to lose 50+ pounds and after a while it gets daunting and then you fall off the wagon get back on etc etc. I got this email from the mealmovement.com. It put it in persepctive for me. here is part of it:

"In the weight loss world, companies have learned to market to people by promising them incredible results in a short amount of time with very little effort. They also encourage you to 'stay motivated'. That motivation is one of the keys to success. I could not disagree more. M.I.T. (the ultra braniac college) proved my argument with a simple little test. They discovered that over 90% of all participants who focused on the end result failed. What's interesting is they also discovered that this same group of people (over 90%) succeeded when they focused on one day and one task at a time. Why? Because when humans focus on the end result, they subconciously begin giving up because the end result is so far from the current situation. However, when they focus on small consistent steps each day, they eventually reach their goal. It's the old story of the tortoise and the hare. Same thing. Slow, steady, patient and consitent trumps fast and intense." --The Meal Movement/ Mike Starks, CEO/ Great Taste, Small Waist!

stickwithme

Ok. Thanks to you all.
I get the motivational thing, just never thought to apply it. but I've decided now to focus on my short-term goal of 10 kg.
It makes sense, I suppose, as I have to get past 10 anyway if I want to reach 45 kg !!!

Thanks again!