Guide

Goal setting journal

A goal setting journal is a notebook where you write one goal, record weekly progress and review what is working. Use a goal page, a four question weekly review and a monthly look back.

Updated 21 October 2026. Sources named on the page.

A goal page and a weekly review
Four review questions
A monthly look back
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The goal page

Write the goal in one sentence at the top. Underneath, write why it matters to you, the first three steps and the date you will check on it. Keep it on one page so you can see it at a glance.

The weekly review

Once a week, answer four questions: what did I do toward the goal, what got in the way, what did I learn, and what is my next step? Four short answers are enough.

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Track the small thing

Alongside the review, tick off the small daily action in a habit grid. A page of ticks shows consistency better than memory does.

The monthly look back

At the end of the month, read the weekly reviews. Write what you will keep, change or drop. This is where you decide whether the goal still matters.

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Mix goals with a daily entry

If you already keep a daily journal, add one line about the goal each day, even if only "no progress today". It stops the goal slipping out of sight.

Paper or app

Both work. The goal setting worksheet is a free page for the goal and steps. The Daily Journal keeps habits and daily entries together and is free to start.

Questions

What is a goal setting journal?

A notebook for one goal, weekly progress and a regular review.

What should I write each week?

What you did, what got in the way, what you learned and your next step.

How long should it take?

About ten minutes a week plus a tick a day.

Is a goal journal the same as a habit tracker?

They work together. The tracker records the daily action, and the journal records the thinking.

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