Setting personal goals is a first step to attaining the life you dream of. It's possible, however, to set goals that don't really support that dream life. A key ingredient in learning to set and achieve personal goals is to get a good handle on what your most deeply held personal values are. If your goals are at odds with your personal values, you may reach your goals, but find that your life is empty and unrewarding.

What would it really take for you to be happy? Take some time to think about the answer to this question. Perhaps you have a certain affluent level of lifestyle in mind when you dream of the future. A certain amount of money is absolutely essential to a comfortable life in today's world. Even so, money is often overrated in its ability to make a person happy.

Not only does money not "buy happiness," when it becomes the number one goal, pursuing it often shipwrecks other goals that really have more bearing on your genuine happiness. For instance, most people are social beings who hope to have a fulfilling family life. If your money goals are first and foremost in your mind at most times, it's highly probable that you will forget to carve out time to nurture those relationships that really make life worth living.

It makes sense to set a few goals in your relationships along with financial and career goals. Planning a weekly night out with your spouse or significant other can make a world of difference in your relationship. Having that time set aside on your calendar can free up the rest of your life to focus on the goals that require the most concentration. If you have children, too, carve them out some time and have some fun. They are only little for a short time!

Along with stress on family relationships, driving hard to reach career and financial goals can do a number on your conscience if you're not careful! Have you stepped on anyone else on your climb to the top? Have you always been honest with your clients or bosses? Do you rip people off in your business? Ethical compromises are not unheard of in highly motivated, success oriented people! Don't become a casualty of this oversight. Nothing is quite as comfortable and relaxed as a clear conscience.

When you are setting your personal goals, you can write them such that you take these cautions into consideration. By the way, don't expect your personal goals to do you much good if they are just mental notes you keep in your head. They really need to be written down. The process of writing a goal down on paper (or a computer) makes it into a tangible reality.

To allow for the social and ethical side of reaching goals, don't just write goals for your work or your finances. Write some for your family and relationships. In fact, a few goals in the spiritual realm are a good idea. These less tangible values are essential to happiness and growth, and we all have them buried somewhere deep inside. Set goals that nurture and inspire as well as motivate.