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personal goal — individual aim

collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon

Something you want to achieve for yourself, based on your own interests or needs.

Say it like a native

Textbook I have established an objective of a personal nature.

Native I've set myself a personal goal.

'An objective of a personal nature' is corporate nonsense; 'set a personal goal' is plain.

Pattern: personal goal (noun phrase); set/achieve/reach a personal goal

In use

  • My personal goal this year is to learn how to cook healthy meals.daily life
  • One of my personal goals is to improve my English so I can study abroad in the future.IELTS speaking

Common mistake

✗ I made a personal goal to run daily.

✓ I set myself a personal goal to run daily.

You SET a goal (or 'set yourself' one), not 'make' one.

Common collocations

  • set a personal goal — set a personal goal, achieve, reach a goal, my main goal

Don't confuse it

Unlike a 'professional goal', which is about your career, a 'personal goal' can be about any area of your life.

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