Setting goals that work for you can improve your self-esteem. They give you a sense of purpose and something to work towards, as well as the motivation and means to get there (How Setting Intentions Improved My Confidence). Unfortunately, too many people set goals that aren’t right, resulting in disappointment and lowered self-esteem. However, setting the right goals can lead to personal growth and better self-esteem. Here are some ways of setting goals that work for you.

Who doesn't want to maximize productivity and gain confidence? At some point, everyone has struggled with feeling unproductive and likely noticed the impact that it has on one's confidence. Putting off tasks, goals or daily activities can make one more depressed, anxious and insecure (How Procrastination Hurts Your Confidence). Whether you are trying to achieve a goal, break a bad habit or make the most of each day, it’s important to try and take advantage of the time you’ve got.

You probably know that building self-esteem is important for your mental health and wellbeing, and there are many ways you can build your self-esteem. Below is a list of tips for self-esteem building, compiled from posts over the past year. 

It can be hard to feel motivated and confident even on good days. Learn how to feel motivated with this DBT skill. It will get you feeling motivated and more confident fast.

It’s important to do the things you’re not comfortable with to build self-esteem. That means stepping outside of your comfort zone and challenging yourself. Naturally, you may resist doing this because it might make you anxious, fearful or just plain uncomfortable. Stepping outside of your comfort zone does take effort and it might seem easier to do nothing. However, sticking to what you’re familiar with can keep you stuck and it can damage your self-esteem. In order to create change, you need to challenge your negative feelings and do it anyway. Do the things that you’re not comfortable with and build your self-esteem.

Setting intentions can improve your confidence and belief in your abilities. An intention is a like a goal, but more powerful and effective, in my opinion. Intentions are the dreams that you want to achieve and the feelings you want to bring into your life. The short-term gains from setting intentions are that they can help you get a grip on negative thoughts to more neutral or positive ways of thinking the long-term gains from setting intentions may be improved confidence.

It’s important to stop using avoidance to deal with self-esteem issues. While it may sometimes seem easier, avoidance is not a healthy way of coping, and it can cause more problems later on. Issues will still be present and they’ll probably become magnified over time. Avoidance can keep you stuck and it can worsen your self-esteem. Stop using avoidance to deal with your self-esteem issues and find a better way.

Exercise is a powerful way of building self-esteem. It’s a natural mood lifter, it provides a sense of accomplishment and it helps you to look and feel better about yourself. While it’s good for everyone, it’s particularly beneficial if you have a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you get moving. However, it can be challenging to start or maintain exercise especially when you don’t like exercise, don’t feel like it, you’re anxious, depressed, tired or busy. The good news is that there are many ways to exercise and it doesn’t have to be something you dread. You can find ways to exercise and build self-esteem at the same time.

Most people don't have a confident plan to achieve their goals or New Years Resolutions. They go about goal setting all wrong and wind up feeling less confident and more insecure. Don't be one of them. Use the SMART technique in this video to help you feel confident in achieving whatever you desire this year.

Having quality friendships affects self-esteem in a big way. Find out how to make real friends.