Types of goals

So as a compulsive goal-setter, I started thinking this weekend that there are several classes of goals.
•Achievement goals. These are the ones that require me to actually do something. For example, “Finish the rewrite of Impossible Takes a Little Longer by the end of the month” (which I did, in May).
•Problem-solving goals. These are ones where the goal is to do something I’m not doing. A few years ago, I noticed I’d stopped trying to cook anything new (when I’m under stress I tend to stick with old favorites) so I put “Cook 250 new dishes” into that year’s 101 in 1,001 goal list. In my 2011 list, I put “watch 200 movies.” I love movies, but I was having trouble fitting them into my weekend schedule with TYG. The goal has given me the incentive (yes, I admit this is a very minor problem).
•Break-a-habit goals. These are goals to remind me not to do things. I had some trouble bumping into TYG when I first moved up here because I just haven’t had much experience with someone inside my personal space that often. There are also a lot more doors in this house that someone can be standing behind (there were a few in my last house, but I wasn’t likely to barge into the bathroom if my old roommate was in there with the door closed). Adjusting to that has been obviously a high-priority goal (TYG was understandably insistent)—fortunately I’ve much improved.
•Stay the course. The ones where the goal is to keep doing what I’m already doing—bicycling and walking on the weekends for instance. Which I’d probably do anyway, but having it on the list makes me put a little more effort in, even if I’m feeling lazy.
I’m not sure breaking them down this way helps me (or anyone else), but who knows?

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