How to read (and set) a net worth goal

A goal like "€200,000" only becomes useful once it's paired with a timeframe and your actual historical pace. Without those, it's just a wish. With them, it becomes a projection you can check yourself against every month.

If your current trajectory reaches the goal before the target date, you're ahead of pace — worth knowing, but not a reason to take on more risk than you're comfortable with. If it reaches the goal after, you have three honest options: save more, extend the date, or accept a different outcome. All three are legitimate; pretending the gap doesn't exist is the only bad option.

Whether to include retirement accounts in the goal depends on what the goal is for — a "financial independence by X" goal usually should, a "house down payment" goal usually shouldn't. That's a personal choice, which is exactly why it's a toggle rather than a fixed rule.