Goals are stepping-stones in your journey of evolvement. After reaching each goal, you should be able to pat yourself on the back and genuinely feel that you have become better.
But setting the right goals can be confusing. Often, we aim to change our lives and change the things around us. But what about changing ourselves?
A key to success as a human being is to have an internal locus of control, where you believe that you control your fate. As daunting as that sounds, there are steps you can take to reach this.
One of these steps is to set goals that are about enjoying what you have and using it to become better, instead of chasing what you don’t have and agonizing over the lack of it. In this post, you’ll get a few ideas of what goals you can set.

Unpause and continue
In simpler words, pick up where you left off or gave up. Did you start a blog a few years ago and then give up because it took too much time and didn’t make any progress? There’s no better time than now to pick it back up.
This can be as big of a project as a blog, or as small as finishing the bookmarked books on your shelf. Look around you and find the things you put on pause.
Stop procrastinating on the things you know you are meant to do, and do it. Commitment is valuable, and completion (if it can ever be completed) brings joy. So do yourself a favor and pick that (yes, that thing) back up.
Know yourself
When I say to appreciate what you have, your own self– your body, your mind, your soul, all of it– is something to start with.
A constant goal throughout your lifetime is to learn what you really mean. It’s important to note that outside influences and achievements do not give you meaning. You give yourself meaning and aspire to give other things meaning as well.
To do this, study yourself.
Find out the most effective ways you learn. Find out what enrages you the quickest. Find out what helps you stay calm. Find out how you generally interpret situations.
Now take your own characteristics and build circumstances around yourself instead of the stimulus. Learn to respond in ways to aid your own growth and make you feel successful.
Practice gratitude
Being able to appreciate the little things (and the big things) is a key indicator of someone on their way to success. Being thankful for something is the first step to making the best out of what you have.
Some people have more trouble with gratitude than others, which is where practicing comes in. Practice may not make perfect, but it comes pretty close!
Here’s what you can do to practice gratitude:
- Keep a gratitude journal and write 1 line a day.
- Tell someone you appreciate them.
- Enjoy the time with the friends you have now.
- Volunteer for nonprofits.
- Give compliments generously.
- Write down what your body allowed you to do each day.
- Say thank you instead of sorry.
- Notice the little things people do for you.
- Do little things for others.
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Quality over quantity
It can be easy to be spiraled into the world of numbers and statistics, whether it’s the number of followers you have, the number of calories you’ve consumed, the number of friends you have, etc.
But obsessing over these numbers is incredibly unhealthy for you, especially for young students like yourself.
Always focus on quality over quantity, or not on the item at all if it’s unnecessary. For example, social media is not a sign of your success in any way, shape, or form. Therefore, detach completely.
Meanwhile, build friendships that support you and help you become a better person. Eat foods that make you feel healthy and happy. Take on meaningful projects that have an impact on the world around you.
Stop ruminating on the past
Your past does not define you. If you let past mistakes overshadow and influence your every move in the present, you’ll never be able to truly move forward.
This idea goes for everything you might find yourself feeling regretful about. If you did something embarrassing 2 years ago, so be it. If you didn’t do something and wish you did, oh well.
You should set goals to put purpose and meaning into the things you already do rather than aimlessly look for things that have a purpose.
Similarly, you should not let past successes and wins dominate your decisions in the present. Now, don’t get me wrong. Learning from past experiences is encouraged.
If you finally succeeded in a project after months of errors, you know that something you changed in the last few trials was the right thing to do. You can take the knowledge with you while working on the next project. That’s a great way of learning from past experiences.
However, you do not want to become overconfident or unwilling to take others’ opinions after a successful event in the past. This will prevent you from learning from others and thus prevent you from bettering yourself.
Dealing with the things you can’t change
There are different aspects of living with the things you can’t change. I believe the most life-changing are the following:
- Accepting.
- Adapting.
- Appreciating.
Accepting is often a 50/50 choice for many. You either refuse to live with the issue and fight it internally (albeit it never leaves), or you accept it and begin your learning process.
Acceptance is the first step of successfully dealing with the things you can’t change. So take a deep breath, think of the thing you’ve been fighting with no avail, and accept the fact that you cannot change it.
Now, you can learn to change yourself to adapt to this thing. If it is damaging to your own health (whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional), remove yourself from its influence. If it’s simply annoying, shift your attitude or mindset so you are able to appreciate a part of it.
Actually being able to appreciate something that used to annoy the hell out of you is a confusing process. You do not have to appreciate the fact that something terrible happened and you are now in a more unfortunate place than before. But you can appreciate the good things that came out of it, such as your own evolving mindset and strength.
Take care of yourself
Making sure that you are happy and healthy will make other areas of life much easier than if you were not. Thus, this is probably the most important goal on this entire list!
The idea of taking care of yourself seems straightforward to some, and completely convoluted for others. For the latter group, here’s my top tip: take baby steps.
Every day, set goals to complete a few self-care acts. They don’t have to be the generic, almost ceremonious practices like meditating for 15 minutes to a certain playlist (though that’s a great way to practice self-care).
If you’re out of ideas, try these out:
- Smile at yourself in the mirror (maybe even give yourself a wink).
- Get up from your desk and do a big stretch (like a cat).
- Take a 10-20 minute nap with your fluffiest blanket.
- Call a friend or family member and talk about nothing.
Conclusion
I hope one or more of these goals will help you recognize your internal locus of control and become a happier, better person. Remember, take one solid step at a time.
If you’re looking for more posts like this, check these out:
- 75 Morning Routine Ideas That Will Change Your Life
- 23 Easy Habits That Will Skyrocket Your Productivity
- 140 Best New Year’s Resolution Ideas For Students
- 50 Journal Prompts For College Students
