i won't be unrealistic to expect an earning similar to what i made in my prime in business before the crash in the 90's. but since my expenses and expectations are lower, i would be glad to have it pay my housing while i use my own savings to travelling once again, like i used to be able to do .
i think lisa calls it best : "sustainable earnings".

I don't have a life time goal and I doubt I will ever have. I like photographing, so why should I ever stop even if I achieve the goal?

I do have some goals, but they keep changing - raise my portfolio to 1000 pics, then to 5000 pics; get at least 1/4 of my income from photography etc.

One thing I know about myself (and that's a great motivation) is that there is a clear dependency of my sales on my efforts. The more I upload the more my sales grow.

My portfolio is above 1000 pics (in least on key sites); and I once again proved my own statement about efforts - I was able to produce more pictures per months in the last 3 months; and February was my BME, and now March beaten it!

So my next  (current) goal it to keep the growth. And I still don't have a long term goals

I'm doing $150 per month right now
My goal is to multiply that by ten to $1500 per month.
If I get there, then I can entertain thoughts of lifetime goals!
One step at a time.

I think that a bigger goal for me in the immediate future would be to build a dedicated shooting room where the lights are always up and there's NO TOYS to pick up.  But the chances of that happening are about as good as earning 10,000 per month. 

Maybe a good goal would be to earn enough to pay for a maid? I sure wouldn't mind someone cleaning around me so I could get more time to work with my pics.

I'm much more modest than those of you that do this for a living. My goal for this year is to get 100 pics online and earn enough to reach payout on DT. Then the next goal will be 500$ and 500 pics, hopefully within 2010. After that only the sky is the limit. I certainly can see myself doing some kind of photography/art when I retire in 30-40 years. I love my daytime job too, so I have no plans to spend all my time with photography.

To be full-time on photography.

Would be nice. And then the next goal would be:

To be part time on photography....


... but earn full-time money 

To earn as much as an entry-level position would pay in my previous profession.  It's taken me 3 1/2 years, and I'm almost there!