40 Small Monthly Goals That Will Help You Grow 

Do you set goals for the year ahead? There is always such a big push to set big goals and to work towards something long-term. I’m not going to tell you that it’s a bad thing to do… I love setting big scary goals! However, there is something to say about small goals. Getting to tick a small goal off your list, the dopamine rush, the continuous small progress – it’s addicting and ultimately, it’s a realistic way to set goals. I think you should set small monthly goals that will help you achieve your bigger, longer-term goals. But also, set small monthly goals that are just that – small monthly goals. Not everything needs to be part of a bigger plan! 

So, if you want to grow as a person in several categories of your life, you should set small monthly goals. Here are all the tips, tricks, and ideas you need to set killer small monthly goals. 

Setting small goals for your personal growth: benefits 

Personal growth is a super big umbrella term. When people talk about personal growth they generally mean improving yourself in some way. You are taking the necessary steps to improve your habits, routines, behaviours, skills, and so on. 

Since personal growth is so vast it’s important to know what you want to work on. You can’t just say “I want to be a better person” and leave it at that. If you know anything about goal setting you know that your goals should be measurable and specific!

Small monthly goals are measurable 

Setting small monthly goals is a great way to improve your life. You can actually make “being a better person” a measurable goal. By doing some self-discovery and breaking down your larger goals you can create a few small monthly goals that can be tracked and monitor your progress. 

Small monthly goals are specific 

Just like goals need to be measurable, it’s also great if they are specific. “I want to be a better person” is a vague statement. If you can break that down into specific goals like “eating vegetables every day” or “volunteering once a week” then you can make progress on your larger desire. 

You create small wins 

Everyone likes to accomplish things. Whether it’s crossing off a task from your to-do list or achieving a goal, you get a bit of a rush when it’s all said and done. Why not create small monthly goals that allow you to have more consistent wins? It will feel good and keep you more motivated along the way. 

Related: 50 Fun Ways To Celebrate Achieving Your Goals

You create and maintain momentum 

So often goals are not achieved because people lose motivation to work on them. You go to the gym every day but then you drop off. You eat clean for two weeks but then you stop. People blame motivation but really what you need to build is momentum. By having constant small monthly goals you are building more and more momentum! 

You don’t need to set a goal of going to the gym every day. You can start with once a week. Then the next month you do twice a week – working your way up to the ultimate goal. 

40 small monthly goals you should consider setting 

As mentioned before, there are many facets to personal growth. You can work on all of you at once! Let’s break down some small monthly goals you can set for different aspects of personal growth. 

Physical health small monthly goals:

• Workout once a week
• Go for 10 walks this month 
• Add a vegetable to every dinner 
• Stretch for 10 minutes on the weekends 
• Create a simple morning routine
• Eat something small for breakfast 
• Be able to lift 5 more pounds at the gym 
• Reduce alcohol intake to 6 drinks a month 

Mental health small monthly goals:

• Attend one therapy session 
• Write in your journal 10 times this month 
• End each day with one thing you’re grateful for 
• Practice a daily positive affirmation 
• Meditate for 10 minutes 
• Put your phone away by 8pm each night 
• Engage in a hobby every weekend 
• Read 5 pages of your chosen self-help book a day 

Relationship small monthly goals: 

• Go on a weekly date night 
• Reach out to one friend a week to chat 
• Host a monthly dinner for your friends or family 
• Make an effort to respond to all texts from your friends 
• Sit and talk with your partner once a week uninterrupted 
• Do something nice for someone once a month 

Intellectual small monthly goals:

• Set a reading goal for the month 
• Spend 5 hours this month learning a new skill
• Watch one documentary a month 
• Join an online class or training 
• Pick a “learning theme” for the month and focus all learning on that 
• Do one thing outside of your comfort zone a month 

At home small monthly goals:

• Purchase one new thing for your home this month 
• Create an easy cleaning schedule for the month and stick to it 
• Organize one room this month 
• Donate 3 pieces of clothing from your closet 
• Empty the sink each night 
• Deep clean one area of your house this month 

Fun small monthly goals:

• Spend 5 hours on a new hobby this month
• Go to a new restaurant or cafe 
• Try an activity with friends this month 
• Create a self-care pamper routine and do that once or twice a month 
• Try a new recipe once a week
• Join a book club and engage in the monthly discussion 

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Final thoughts 

Setting goals of any size can be a really fun and exciting activity. I know that I started to get really excited and motivated when I set new goals – just thinking about the possibilities gets me going! 

You don’t need to stress yourself out by setting huge goals. You can have big goals and things you want to one day work towards but you can also break them down into smaller goals. By setting small monthly goals you are allowing yourself to work towards your larger goals while still making consistent achievements. It just feels good! 

I’m sure you set some monthly goals already without even thinking about it. Do any of these small monthly goals pique your interest?

Let me know what small monthly goals you will be adding to your list! 

Until next time, 

Deanna