The Benefits of Goal Setting

January is almost over: How are those New Year’s resolutions doing? If you’re like most Americans , you may have already given up on your resolution, not even making it through the month.

If that’s true, we’re here to provide encouragement: An early slip-up is no reason to give up on a goal or active self-improvement. If anything, it should be even more reason to get back to work, evaluate what went wrong, and push ahead. Goal setting offers too many benefits to be discounted as being “for other people.” Here are just a few benefits of goal setting to get you back in the mood.

Give Your Self-Confidence a Boost

What is self-confidence? It isn’t about overestimating or lying about your abilities—that’s just being arrogant. No, self-confidence means understanding and trusting your abilities and what you can accomplish. And the only way you can know what you’re capable of is to go out and see for yourself.

“Reaching for goals is an important part of strengthening self-confidence,” says Marci G. Fox, PhD . “It helps shape and update how you define yourself while at the same time helping you add to your sense of accomplishment.” 

A good goal is something that will make you stretch yourself in ways you haven’t been stretched before. Even if you fail to achieve your goal, your abilities will have improved, so long as you’ve been stretching to reach. As Fox says, “Success is in the doing and not necessarily the result.”

Strengthen Your Relationships

Goals aren’t just good for you: They’re good for those closest to you as well. “People do better psychologically when they are working towards something—even if it’s stressful,” says clinical psychologist Karen Nimmo . “And couples function better when they’re on the same page, working for the same ends. I’ve seen it happen; I’ve also seen the fallout when they don’t.

As you reevaluate your goals, consider your relationship with your significant other. What is something you could work toward together? The collaboration and effort spent on a united purpose will strengthen your bond and bring you closer together.

Increase Your Sense of Ownership

Without a sense of ownership in your life, it is easy to get stuck in a rut. You might ask, “What’s the point of trying if nothing ever changes?” When everything feels out of control, your mental health begins to plummet. Goal setting can help fix that.

“When you set goals, you are saying ‘This is what I want to accomplish. This is what I’m going to do,’” says Thomas R. Harris at The Exceptional Skills . “You are stating what you want and doing something about it. You are taking responsibility for yourself.”

Whether you’re still going strong with your goals or are considering giving up on them, we’re here to encourage you to hold out hope. Goal setting will boost your confidence, strengthen your relationships, and increase your sense of ownership. At Beachwood Apartments , our goal is to make coming home the best part of your day. Let’s keep our goals together!