I don't know of any apps or sites that have ever helped me achieve short or long term goals but I would like to.

I used to be an Ediets member and it really transformed the exercise and diet side of my life, plus I lost nearly 20 pounds. These days I am a proud member of the Metafilter team on Health Month, and that site too has been enormously helpful with my short term lifestyle goals.

For long term goals, I don't know of a site or app. But As a perpetual long term planner, I'll say that my most successful approach has been to visualize a long term goal and then plan the short term steps to get there, which can in turn be tracked. I like Health Month for said short term steps, because I like the MeFi group there so much and because the site is really very flexible and workable for any sort of personal "rules."

Right, I totally get that achieving long-term goals means establishing short term habits. I think part of the problem for me is even making the long term goals! THe long term achievements I have had (better strength and endurance from regular exercise, various professional achievements, becoming a good cook) have all basically happened by accident from getting into good daily habits that turn into long-term habits. But in terms of intentionally making long term goals and then slowly working toward them - I haven't really been able to do that.

Maybe I'll do an askme... hmmm...