Set a goal too low and it is pointless. Set it too high and it is demoralising. The sweet spot is a goal that is challenging but realistic for your job, your time and your resources. Here is how to find it.
The five-point reality check
1. Do you control most of the outcome? If success depends mainly on other people, market conditions or budget decisions, the goal is not fully achievable by you. Reframe it around your actions, or name the dependencies.
2. Do you have the time? Estimate the hours needed and compare them to your spare capacity after routine work. Most people overestimate how much time they have.
3. Do you have the skills or a plan to get them? If not, build a learning step into the goal. See goals for learning new skills.
4. Has it been done before? Look at past results, benchmarks or colleagues. If nobody has ever cut processing time by 80%, your first goal probably should not either.
5. Is the timeline realistic? Break the goal into milestones. If the milestones do not fit in the time available, extend the date or reduce scope.
Did you know? Edwin Locke and Gary Latham's goal-setting research found that performance tends to rise as goals become harder, until people reach the limits of their ability or lose commitment. Challenging goals help; impossible ones do not.
Make goals realistic for your specific job
A realistic goal for a salesperson looks different from one for an operations analyst. Base yours on:
- Your role's actual levers: what you can change day to day.
- Seasonality and workload: busy periods need lighter goals.
- Your baseline: improvement from where you are today, not from an ideal.
If your job is unpredictable, see goals when your job is unpredictable.
Use commit and stretch levels
A useful technique is to set two levels:
- Commit: what you are confident you can deliver.
- Stretch: what you could achieve if things go well.
This gives your manager realism and ambition in one goal.
Watch for warning signs
A goal is probably unrealistic if you feel dread rather than challenge, you cannot name the first step, or it requires everything to go right. If a target has been imposed and it fails these tests, see how to negotiate goals with your manager.
The bottom line
An achievable goal is within your control, fits your time, matches your skills (or includes learning), has a precedent and has a realistic timeline. Check all five before you commit. For more on setting stretch without strain, see stretch goals without burnout, and for a complete framework, our Business Planning and Goal Setting course.