If the only thing that exists is the present moment, then what sense does it make to talk about long-term goals? How can you actually achieve anything?
Understand that you can only take action in the present moment, and you can only enjoy results in the present as well. You can't accomplish or experience anything in the pasto f future because you're never there. When people learn about goal setting, they often set goals in violation of this fact. It's difficult to achieve something that's based on an inaccurate model of reality - such a goal will surely be an uphill struggle.
The purpose of goal setting isn't to control the future. That would be senseless because the future only exists in your imagination. The point of goal setting is to improve the quality of your present-moment reality. Setting goals can give you greater clarity and focus right now. Whenever you set your sigts on achieving something, always ask yourself, "How does setting this goal improve my present reality?" If it doesn't improve your present reality, then the goal is pointless, and you may as well dump it. But if it brings greater clarity, focus, and motivation to your life when you think about it, it's a keeper.
Many people set goals and then assume the path to reach them will require suffering and sacrifice. This is a recipe for failure. Whenever you consider a new goal, pay attention to the effect it has on your present reality. Set goals that make you feel powerful, motivated, and driven when you focus on them, long before the final outcome is actually achieved. Avoid setting goals that make you feel powerless, stressed, or weak. Treat this process as a way to enhance your present focus, not as a way to control the future.
("Personal Development for Smart People" by Steve Pavlina)