docResourceGoal-Setting Worksheet
Goal-Setting Worksheet

What do you want your life to look like?

You do not need to have everything figured out. The purpose of this exercise is simply to stop for a few minutes and think intentionally about where you want to go.

For each section, write down 1 to 3 goals. Where possible, make them specific. Add a dollar amount, date, age, frequency, or other measurable target when it makes sense. Do not write something down simply because you think you are supposed to want it. Think about what actually matters to you.

01

Career & Income

Think beyond simply getting a job. Consider the kind of work you want to do, what you want to earn, how much you want to work, whether you want to own a practice, and where you would eventually like your career to take you.

Questions to consider
  • What would I like to earn in 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years?
  • Do I want to own a practice, become a partner, or remain an associate?
  • How many days or hours per week do I ultimately want to work?
  • Are there procedures or specialties I want to become particularly good at?
  • What would make me feel successful professionally?
My goals
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02

Professional Impact & Contribution

Your professional goals do not have to end with income or practice ownership. Dentistry gives you an opportunity to contribute to your profession and potentially leave it better than you found it.

Questions to consider
  • Is there an area of dental care I would like to help advance?
  • Is there research I would like to participate in or contribute to?
  • Would I like to teach dental students, residents, or other dentists?
  • Could I develop a new technique, process, technology, or approach to patient care?
  • Do I want to publish, lecture, mentor, or become involved with organized dentistry?
  • Is there a patient population that I particularly want to serve?
  • Twenty or thirty years from now, what contribution would make me proud of my career?
My goals
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03

Financial Goals

Money is not the ultimate goal, but it can be an incredibly useful tool for accomplishing the things that matter to you.

Questions to consider
  • How much do I want in emergency savings?
  • When would I like to buy a home?
  • Do I want to become debt-free? By when?
  • How much would I like to accumulate or invest?
  • At what age would I like work to become optional?
  • What level of financial independence would give me greater freedom?
My goals
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04

Family & Relationships

Your career will consume a significant amount of your life. Think intentionally about what you want your life outside of work to look like as well.

Questions to consider
  • Do I want to get married or have children?
  • What kind of spouse or parent do I want to be?
  • How much time do I want available for my family?
  • Are there traditions or experiences I want to create with them?
  • Which relationships do I want to make sure remain important throughout my life?
My goals
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05

Health & Personal Well-Being

A successful career is not particularly useful if you do not have the health or energy to enjoy the life it creates.

Questions to consider
  • What do I want my physical health to look like?
  • How often do I want to exercise?
  • Are there athletic or fitness goals I would like to accomplish?
  • What habits would improve my physical or mental well-being?
  • What boundaries might I need around work?
My goals
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06

Community, Service & Impact

Your time, abilities, education, and eventually your financial resources can all be used to make a difference in other people’s lives.

Questions to consider
  • What kind of community do I want to be part of?
  • Are there causes or nonprofits I care about?
  • Do I want to volunteer regularly or use my dental skills to expand access to care?
  • Do I want to mentor younger people?
  • How generous do I ultimately want to be with my time and money?
  • What problems in the world would I like to help solve?
My goals
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07

Personal Growth, Faith & Learning

Who do you want to become along the way? Some of the most important goals have very little to do with your résumé or bank account.

Questions to consider
  • What kind of person do I want to become?
  • Are there areas of my faith or spiritual life I want to develop?
  • What would I like to learn outside of dentistry?
  • Are there books, subjects, languages, skills, or hobbies I would like to pursue?
  • What character traits do I want to develop?
My goals
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08

Experiences & Lifestyle

Life does not have to be postponed until retirement. Think about the experiences you want along the way.

Questions to consider
  • Where would I like to travel?
  • What experiences do I want with my family or friends?
  • Where do I want to live?
  • What hobbies do I want time for?
  • How much vacation or flexibility do I ultimately want?
  • Are there adventures or experiences I would regret never doing?
My goals
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Narrow it down

My Top Five

You cannot pursue everything with the same intensity at the same time. If you could accomplish only five of these goals over the next several years, which five would matter most?

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For each of your five goals, ask:

What specifically am I trying to accomplish?  •  How will I know I have accomplished it?  •  When would I like to accomplish it?  •  Why does this matter to me?  •  What is one thing I can do in the next 30 days to move toward it?

One final question

Imagine yourself 20 years from now.

Your career has gone well. You have made good money. You have had successes and failures along the way.

You do not need to know exactly how you are going to get there yet. But you should probably know what you are aiming at.