What's your best advice for setting goals that are ambitious but still realistic?

A natural way to answer

I'd say be honest about your starting point. Stretch yourself, but set milestones you can actually hit, so progress stays visible. That balance keeps you motivated without setting yourself up to fail.

Key phrases to use

• wiggle room — extra flexibility or space in a plan“Leave some wiggle room in your schedule.”
• setting yourself up — putting yourself in a position likely to lead to a result, often failure“Skipping practice is setting yourself up to lose.”
• burn out — become exhausted from working too hard for too long“She pushed too hard and burned out.”