Why do motivational goals need to be challenging but accomplishable?

Striking a balance between challenging goals
that are still accomplishable is key in motivating people to continually press toward
increasingly better performances.

People do need to feel that a goal is
challenging. A goal that is too simplistic isn't worth striving for. It isn't worth a personal
investment. For example, a trainer would not set a goal for a seasoned marathon runner to run a
10K each week. This runner would see no benefit in the goal because it is set below her range of
expertise. Yet goals are important in keeping both individuals and teams of people working
toward the right things. Therefore, a challenging goal keeps people working toward their best
potential and increasing their talents, one step at a time.

Challenging goals
also help alleviate boredom. The marathon runner may feel stuck in a monotonous routine if she
continues running the same paths on the same days each week, always finishing with about the
same time. Her trainer, therefore, may suggest that she change to a more mountainous location
for a while. Or perhaps she sets a goal of running a faster time so that she can enter an
international marathon in a place she's always wanted to visit. By varying goals and increasing
the challenge, the runner is now has a renewed interest in her sport.

It is
important that people feel that goals are not too difficult and that they can accomplish them
with effort. Setting a goal to run a marathon within 6 months for a woman who has never run a 5K
probably isn't going to motivate her to go running. The goal has overtaxed her abilities and may
just overwhelm her instead of motivating her. In another example (because I am an educator and
love reading), setting a goal with a child who struggles with reading (and therefore dislikes
it) to independently read Harry Potter is likely going to seem a monumental
and impossible task. Reading the same book with a parent or teacher or choosing a book that
isn't so visually intimidating will likely better encourage this student to improve her reading
skills.

Goals make people want to push themselves harder and to accomplish
more than they otherwise would. Finding the right goal that challenges and doesn't overwhelm is
key in positive growth.