Do you find it useful to set small goals for yourself? Or is just the overall goal sufficient? How do you set a realistic goal?

For me, it is best to have both a short-term and long-term goal, all the time. For example, my short-term goal is to make it through Phase 1 succesfully, and my long-term goal is to lose 20 pounds/be a better runner. I love how so many people on this board have two tickers: a long-term goal ticker, and a short-term ticker.

For me, the problem with just a short-term goal is that it becomes to easy to say, "what will cheating matter in the long run?" However, if I have just a long-term goal, it seems so far off and unatainable that I get frustrated and give up.

Just my opinion

After 50 years of mainly unsuccessful dieting, I know short term goals are best for me. I have a lot to lose and right now am setting my goal to get into the 180's by April. My ticker reflects a longer term goal. When I get there, I'll set a new goal.

I agree with the setting of both short and long term goals. I find that if I have only a long term goal, without milestones to mark my progress, I become discouraged very easily.

I do find it very self rewarding to achieve a short term goal!

I agree, especially when you are looking down a very long road, intermediate milestones can help motivate and help you see progress more clearly. Remember, they don't have to be weight goals, but they should be reasonable, measurable, and achievement based on things you can control. Some folks set body fat percentage goals, clothing sizes, days-on-plan, exercise minutes, and other achievements as goals.
When I set a weight goal, I just calculate a reasonable rate of loss and base it on that. For instance, if my goal date is 8 weeks away, and I am losing an average of 1 lb/week these days, I'd set an 8 lb goal, or I might back it down a lb. to make sure it's attainable. Also, you don't have to have dates attached to your goals. You could just have a goal of losing 10 lbs., and see how fast you can get there, without setting a drop-dead date.
Sometimes people find goals depressing rather than motivating, particularly if you don't make your goal in time, so as with everything, you have to try and see what works for you.

Ruth, you and I have the same goal, and we are almost there! Hooray!

i have both long term and short term goals.

i also have VERY short term goals.

I'm reading The Beck Diet Solution now and one of the principles is that you only set 5 pound goals.... and reward yourself for every 5 pounds...

Then, I saw how it seemed to motivate other people so I thought, what the heck! I think it makes it easier to envision acheiving a short term goal rather than a larger big term goal. I just feel so blonde that I didn't think of doing this for my weight lose efforts since I do this for everything else in my life. Dumb!

I made my March goal a week early and I was stunned! I really didn't expect that. Now, I hope that I will meet my Mother's Day goal. I have a royal blue dress that my DH loves but I bought it on sale and one size smaller (well, it was on sale and I loved it) than what I used to wear. I haven't tried it on yet (I am afraid too) but I am going to surprise him and wear it on that day, which I am expecting him to take me out to eat on (or else!)

I guess, it makes dieting more of a fun thing rather than drudge.

I've been stuck for about a month. Scale has moved up, but not down, despite me really being on plan. I would be THRILLED with a 1 or 2 pound loss - I guess that's a really short term goal

and that's perfectly fine!