Short-Term vs Long-Term Goals (Examples, FAQs)

No matter what you want to achieve, you’ll have to set both short and long-term goals to achieve anything.

And understanding the goal-setting process will also help you answer job interview questions like “where do you see yourself in five years?”.

But wait, what’s the difference between short-term vs long-term goals?

And why should you set both?

In this article, we’ll compare short-term vs long-term goals, and share some career goal examples and tips on setting achievable career goals. We’ll also answer FAQs about short-term and long-term goals.

This Article Contains:

What are Short-Term and Long-Term Goals?
Short Term vs Long Term Goals
Short-Term and Long-Term Career Goals Examples
How To Set Short-Term and Long-Term Career Goals
How To Manage Short and Long-Term Goals
FAQs About Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
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What are Short-Term and Long-Term Goals?

When setting goals, you have to consider goals for both the short term and the long term.

A. What is a short-term goal?

A short-term goal is something you wish to accomplish in the near future. How long are short-term goals? They’re short-term needs that you can achieve today, this week, this month, or even this year. For example, you can set a career goal like completing a skill enhancement course or a short-term savings goal like setting aside money for an emergency fund. Short-term goals can also be stepping stones or actionable steps to reach a long-term goal much further down the road. It’s like running at a level two speed on a treadmill to reach level six speed eventually. Start at six, and your end goal might just be the ER. Ouch! Set short-term goals and watch yourself progress to make those life-changing visions come true. 💃

B. What is a long-term goal?

A long-term goal is something you wish to complete in the distant future and takes more time, planning, and patience. You can’t do them in a few weeks and dust off your hands; you might need ten years. Usually, these goals consist of several mini-goals or steps, which is why it’s important to determine short-term goals alongside your long-term plan. You can say that long-term goals are normally used to support your short-term goals. For example, your long-term goal can be to set up your own business, a savings goal for your retirement account, etc. See how each one is like a big goal, or a long-term vision, that gives you a sense of direction in life? Sure, long-term goals can seem overwhelming or even impossible at times. But when you follow through on each short-term goal along the way, you’ll eventually get there. 💪 What about a goal that’s not short or long enough? You can split your goals into three: Short, medium, and long-term goals A medium, intermediate, or mid-term goal comes into the picture when you need a middle ground between short and long-term goals. While you can usually achieve medium-term goals between six months to less than five years, it can vary from person to person and goal to goal. Bonus: SMART Goals for Students!

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Short Term vs Long Term Goals

What’s the difference between short-term and long-term goals? The main difference between short and long-term goals is that long-term goals tend to drive direction and strategy while short-term goals are tied to your current situation and tend to be easier to achieve. Of course, the most obvious difference is the amount of time and resources it takes to accomplish each. Let’s compare long-term vs short-term goals to spot some key differences.

1. Strategy

At its heart, a long-term goal is strategic. You need to make small changes in your everyday life to achieve them. That’s why you split a long-term goal into smaller manageable goals and ensure you have some sort of reminder to achieve them. Longer-term goals are a test of your motivation and perseverance, and you’ll often face major obstacles on the way. On the other hand, short-term goals need strategies that have more to do with your current performance. You’ll base your strategy primarily on how close you are to realizing your ultimate goal.

2. Number of goals

Usually, you can have two or maybe three long-term goals in mind. It is usually big picture and can be a career goal, financial goal, or personal goal. But not many. Have too many long-term goals, and you’ll feel overwhelmed and exhausted. 😓 Your reliable friend, coffee, won’t help either. However, due to the shorter duration, you can focus on multiple short-term goals at the same time. And you can crush them all, one by one! Here’s a handy table that will help you visualize the difference between long and short-term goals.

Long term vs Short term goals differences chart

Short Term Goals	Long Term Goals
Strategy	Short-term goals are usually tied to your current performance and situation.	Long-term goals are highly tied to your mission and strategic vision for your life and career.
Number	You can have several short-term goals in multiple categories running simultaneously.	You will likely have a limited number of long-term goals in your life.
Timeline	Short-term goals are likely measured by weeks, months, or quarters.	Long-term goals can be measured by years and may have an undefined timeline.
Difficulty	It is much easier to achieve short-term goals because you can easily see progress.	Long-term goals are difficult and require patience as there is no immediate obvious payoff.
Flexibility	Because short-term goals have clearer and closer deadlines, they’re fairly inflexible.	Because long-term goals have a broader timeline, they are easily impacted by life circumstances or changing passions.

Bonus: Interested in tracking your goals digitally? Read our guide on the best goal-setting software!