What Are Intermediate Goals?

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Intermediate goals are benchmarks set between a starting point and an overall point of success that help make the final goal more achievable. These goals are strategic markers that indicate that a person is going in the right direction to gain the desired outcome. They are easier to achieve than the total scope of a project.

An intermediate goal is a point between the beginning and the end of a project or plan that helps motivate a person to keep going. Often during longer challenges, an individual grows physically and mentally fatigued, so it is important to create benchmarks along the way that add motivation and encouragement to the process.

Intermediate goals are easier to achieve than the final outcome and help make that overall vision a reality. Breaking down a project or plan into steps helps turn each of these points in the process into an intermediate goal, allowing a person time to reflect on past achievements and prepare for upcoming challenges.

Setting intermediate goals helps overcome significant problems in a person’s life by making these major concerns seem more manageable. This practice also ensures that no details are lost along the way as the overall scope of a project often allows for these elements to otherwise be ignored.