35+ Ideas for "Fun" Goals

Though it's not one of our core truths, one of our foundational beliefs here at Cultivate What Matters is that goal setting is fun. Actually, we believe goal setting (and achieving!) is one of the MOST fun things in the whole world!

It seems not everyone agrees with us :) Lots of people find goal setting to be boring, or restrictive, or just plain too hard. And to be fair, we understand why goal setting sometimes gets a bad rap: certain parts are decidedly not fun, like refraining from shopping while paying off debt or getting to the gym on a busy week.

But only fun all the time is not the goal! Discipline and hard decisions and delayed gratification are all a part of living out a purposeful, joyful life, too. Flexing those muscles can shape us for the better—and lead to meaningful experiences along the way.

Of course, if it's all discipline, monotony, and sacrifice, no one would stick with goal setting for long. We know this, and so we do things differently around here, incorporating a whole lot of celebration, delight, and stickers throughout our tools. 

In fact, we take fun so seriously that one of the questions we pose to you in your PowerSheets® goal planner is How will I have fun with this goal along the way? As you break down your goals and make a plan to live them out, we want you to keep fun and delight at the forefront—not just as a reward at the end. We have lots of ideas for how to have fun with a goal along the way right here.

Another way to have fun with your goals? Along with your more serious or necessary pursuits, set goals that are just for fun, too! This might sound counterintuitive or even repulsive (!) to some of the more achievement-oriented among us (and if so, listen in, because this is probably for you more than anyone else!). Setting fun goals is a needed reminder that you are worthy of lightness, that life is not all practicality and responsibility, that you can tend to what brings you joy, and that good is here right now—not just off in the future once you've achieved the big stuff.

So let's do it. Let's set some fun goals!

Maybe for some of you, ideas spring to mind immediately for fun goals you'd love to pursue. For others, it's probably much harder. While we think the "what fires you up" page in your PowerSheets is an excellent place to start brainstorming, we've also rounded up 35+ ideas for "fun" goals in today's post to get you started, as well as a few guidelines to keep in mind. Here we go!

Guidelines for Fun Goals:

We're not here to cramp your style (the sky is the limit!), but we do have a few helpful tips to keep in mind as you consider setting some just-for-fun goals.

1. Remember that you get to define "fun."

What sounds fun to one person might sound absolutely terrible to another. Instead of defaulting to this season's hot hobby or co-opting your best friend or favorite influencer's pursuit, spend a bit of time considering what matters to you.

2. Don't skip writing down a why.

This is a crucial step in the PowerSheets process, and we're not going to let you skip over it here! Even if a goal is meant to be light and fun and bring enjoyment, it's still good to get clear on why you're doing it. After all, you'll still be trading your time (and perhaps money) to pursue it. Writing down a why can help ensure the goal really matters to you, too. (See point number one!)

3. Consider your approach.

Whether a goal feels fun or not often boils down to the mentality around it—the same goal can feel fun or pressure-filled depending on how you approach it.

Does tracking feel stressful? Maybe don't do it!

Does sharing your progress on social media feel fun? Go for it!

Give yourself permission to change course along the way if something feels too heavy.

4. Consider the time you have available.

Everyone has time for a fun goal, but not everyone has time for the same fun goal.

If your schedule is packed, perhaps an experience you only have to clear time for once makes the most sense. If your weeks are pretty rhythmical, maybe a shorter practice each week would be a better fit.

Either way, consider whether you have time for a goal in your current schedule before diving in—and if it feels like you don't have time, consider how you might be able to make it more bite-sized in this season. 

25+ Ideas for Fun Goals:

1. Walk with a friend each week.

I'm a firm believer that walking and talking with a loved one can solve almost all of life's ills. Forward movement can make it easier to keep the conversation flowing. Before long, you'll have untangled all of your knottiest problems—and will be well on your way to 10k steps for the day! Getting outside and exploring beautiful new places all add to the fun of this goal.

I see a few easy options to involve friends:

• Issue individual invites for specific dates via text, email, or face-to-face.
• Send a mass invite to a group of friends (via text or email) letting them know you'll be walking each week at a certain time or place and would love for them to join whenever they can. Ask them to text you in advance if they're joining up so you know who to look for!
• Get fancy and make a SignUp Genius or Calendly. Friends can choose a slot that works for their schedule!

I'm getting tickled just thinking about this :)

2. Watercolor (and send!) a postcard each month.

Watercolor is a very forgiving medium—the perfect artistic endeavor for a beginner! To make it even less intimidating, cut your paper down to postcard size (4x6") and create a series of petite masterpieces. (I like to mark off the edges with painter's tape to make a thin white border.) To keep everything from feeling too precious, commit to writing a message to a friend on the back and sending it off in the mail.

Artistic expression + genuine connection + surprise and delight = a winning combo!

3. Eat a "real" lunch away from your desk.

Whether we are home with kids, work in an office, or are on-the-go throughout the day, too many of us never pause to stop what we're doing, nourish our bodies, and insert a little rest and delight into the middle of our days. Make this the year that changes! Commit to moving away from your workspace and eating in a second location (outside if possible!). Leave your phone behind and tuck into a meal you've thoughtfully prepared. It doesn't have to be fancy... but it certainly can be! You're worthy of good food and the time it takes to prepare it. (Meal prep can help with this, of course!)

4. Perfect your at-home manicure or pedicure.

Whether you leave your nails bare or have a standing appointment at the salon, try perfecting the at-home manicure or pedicure this year. Stock up on a few favorite polishes and some helpful tools and consider watching a YouTube video or too. (Our team likes the systems from Olive & June!)

5. Visit all the ice cream shops in your town.

Or bakeries, or pizza places, or coffee shops. The category doesn't matter so much as the experience of making a plan and executing it over time. If you want to get fancy, devise a simple rating system and log your visits in a notebook. Invite friends or family to join you!

6. Determine the best chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Or mac and cheese recipe. Or tomato soup recipe. Or taco recipe. Again, the category doesn't so much matter—it's the thrill of the hunt that's fun! Invite friends and family members to submit their favorites and work your way through the entries.

7. Tour your town's playgrounds.

Or walking trails, or splash pads, or parks. Again, this is such a fun opportunity to get outside, explore new places, and capture memories through a rating system and notebook—and hopefully find new family favorites in the process!

8. Host a fun themed party.

The options are endless, here, so find a match for your season and personality! Consider a book or clothing swap, a potluck party, a favorite things party, a pumpkin carving or wreath making party, or even a punch card party!

9. Go camping.

Again—camping is not everyone's idea of a good time. But if you've never tried it, give it a go—you might just find that it's yours! :) Camping is a budget-friendly way to get outside and carve out quality time with friends and loved ones. And if you're not ready to commit to a full-on tent experience, many campgrounds have cabins or treehouses to rent!

10. Watch every movie in a category or series.

Whether your style is more action hero or Jane Austen, there's a series or category of movie out there for everyone! Checking off every title on a list is its own kind of pleasure. Ideas to consider: Pixar movies, Marvel movies, Star Wars movies, Jane Austen adaptations, or Indiana Jones. 

11. Bake a different kind of pie every month.

From cherry to chicken, peach to shepherd's, there's a type of pie for every season! (And only you get to decide what's included: quiche? cobbler? We won't judge!) Once you've found your favorites over twelve months, host a Pi Party on 3.14 to put a bow on the whole endeavor.

12. Cook through a cookbook.

If you're used to following recipes on your phone or computer, cooking from a physical cookbook will be a revelation! Better yet, working your way through an author's repertoire will help you find hidden gems you might not have attempted otherwise and get good use out of specialty ingredients they use often. 

Cookbooks Team Cultivate loves: anything by The Defined Dish and What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking!

13. Spearhead a monthly lunch with friends.

Most of us desire to spend more time with our friends—it's the constant organizing and schedule wrangling that can wear us down! To cut down on the planning headaches and get back to the joy of being with your friends, try a standing monthly lunch date: say, the first Saturday of each month or the four Friday of each month. Then, invite a handful of friends who are game and let them know there's no pressure to attend each meeting. Anyone who can show up does, whether at someone's house or at a restaurant!

14. Learn a new card or board game.

While some games have a steep learning curve, it's also thrilling to find a new favorite! Ask friends for recommendations (or to borrow their sets!) or head to a board game store or cafe for expert advice. Team Cultivate favorites: Sushi Go Party, Ticket to Ride, Wingspan, and Dutch Blitz.

15. Go to high school musicals.

Local amateur productions are often quite good (and you can't beat the ticket prices!). Even if the performance doesn't quite live up to your expectations, you'll still have the joy of supporting teens in your community :) Look up productions and dates on your local high school's website!

16. Learn how to make bread.

If you didn't hop on the bandwagon during the Pandemic, now's your time! From sourdough to easy no-yeast loaves, there's a taste and skill level for everyone.

17. Gather regularly to play pickle ball.

Another craze that's ripe for jumping on! :) No matter your athletic background, pickle ball is easy to pick up and inexpensive to play. Gather a few friends for a weekly standing date or join a local league. With the popularity of pickle ball, the hardest part might be finding a free court!

18. Try a fun reading goal.

You're in luck: we have 20+ suggestions for fun reading goals right here! Personal favorites: read classics and watch the movie adaptations, re-read childhood favorites, and read recommendations from loved ones.

19. Debut a themed family Halloween costume.

Have you always wanted to go all-out with a themed family Halloween costume? Maybe this is your year! Planning individual costumes and crafting elements together—not to mention debuting the final result in your neighborhood—can make for a memorable Fall.

20. Buy flowers.

Cut flowers, given their ephemeral nature, can feel like such a luxury. But they can also bring such joy, and if having fresh flowers in your home matters to you, prioritize it! Trader Joe's is known for their reasonably-priced cut flowers, and farmer's markets can be a good source, too. Bonus: you might learn some flower arranging skills or collect a few new vessels along the way!

21. Decorate for holidays.

Perhaps you're still feathering your nest or have never prioritized decorating for holidays. Spend a year figuring out your style (Pinterest boards are great for this!), thoughtfully collecting items, supplementing with natural items, and honing your set-up/take-down/storage systems.

22. Coach a kid's team.

Relive your childhood glory days, give back to your community, and have fun along the way! Coaching your child's sports team is a great way to get outside, move your body, and connect with your loved one in a memorable way.

23. Host a free-flowing weekly dinner.

Think of this as the evening counterpart to the monthly lunch idea (no. 13!). The opportunities are endless, here, but the idea is the same: take the guesswork and hassle out of gathering with friends and do it more regularly by issuing a standing invitation. Some ideas:

• Spaghetti and meatballs every Friday
• Tacos every Tuesday
• Potluck every Sunday
• Cocktail hour from 5-6pm every Wednesday

Go with what makes you feel excited and embrace the serendipity of mixing and matching your friends—and making new ones along the way!

24. Try new shapes of pasta.

My children are obsessed with the abundance and variety of the pasta aisle at our local grocery store. I tend to stick to the basics (spaghetti, farfalle), but wouldn't it be fun to branch out and try all the different shapes on offer? 

(Another fun goal: making pasta from scratch!)

25. Figure out travel hacking.

Travel hacking is using credit card points to get free flights and hotels when you travel. It can be intimidating to the uninitiated, but learning more about this niche obsession could pay off if you love to travel—or just love to learn something new!

26. Ride your bike somewhere you'd normally drive.

This is a goal that has brought my family great delight over the last few years. Yes, we usually drive to church, our local ice cream shop, dinner downtown, or the library—but sometimes we bike! Challenging ourselves to find new routes, to conquer something tough together, and to slow down time by choosing the longer way has led to some very sticky memories.

27. Make family or trip videos.

Filming and editing short videos of travel, big occasions, or everyday adventures can be a sweet way of capturing memories and learning a new skill! Native software like iMovie (on Apple products) makes this very easy. I've made a video capturing daily life for each of my children each year of their lives, and they're some of my most prized possessions.

28. Journal daily.

We've got beautiful options if you like a traditional journal (or if you'd rather go with a Bible journal!), but the Flecks of Gold and one-line-a-day journals are wonderful open-and-go options, too.

29. Complete 1,000 hours outside.

Whether you're walking, mountain climbing, playing tennis, or simply sitting on your back deck, it all counts toward the pursuit of spending 1,000 hours outside. This goal is a great way to reduce screen time, make memories, explore places, and hang with loved ones. Don't miss the movement's very fun trackers!

30. Become a smoothie master.

A little bit of something frozen, a little bit of liquid—on its surface, a smoothie isn't that complicated! But the combinations are truly endless, from fruit and veggies to supplements. Become an at-home mixologist and have fun making your own delicious creations.

31. Write your life's story.

No matter your age, your life's story is worth recording—even if no one else reads it! Crafting a narrative helps us to make sense of our life, make future decisions, and solidify memories. (And we can bet someone else will definitely want to read it!) 

You can always capture your words in a doc or a journal, but we highly recommend StoryWorth for this purpose—such a great concept that makes it easy to capture memories!

32. Try a clothing subscription or rental service.

If you've entered a new season or feel lost with your personal style, getting dressed can feel decidedly not fun. Enter: a clothing rental or subscription service! Services like StitchFix, Rent the Runway, and Nuuly can help you to save time, explore new styles, or just have fun with clothes. 

33. Learn a new handcraft.

The options are truly endless here: learn to embroider, knit, crochet, watercolor, paint, bead, needlepoint, or anything else your crafty heart desires! Each handcraft comes with its own start-up cost and difficulty level, so it's worth doing a little research before buying your supplies.

34. Explore a category.

While adventures big and small are always a good time, knocking off a whole category can be thrilling for the completionists among us. Just take it from Sam: "I have set a fun goal of exploring something different here in California every year," she says. "Two years ago I went to a home game of all 18 professional sports teams in California. Last year I visited all the piers in CA. This year I will be visiting all the National Parks in the state." 

35. Learn to play an instrument.

Ending with one of my own fun goals for the year! While learning to play an instrument can be challenging, I have found it to be a joy in a way that it just wasn't when I was younger. Gaining in skill, playing songs I love, and spending time off my phone are some of my favorite benefits.

And now, we'd love to hear from you! What are some of the fun goals you've set and achieved (or are working on now!)? Please let us know in the comments!