Writing down your goals increases your chances of success by 33% to 43%. So buying a journal for your goals could go a long way. Journaling is the most tangible way to track your progress while retaining the most amount of information (people who write retain more than those who type).
In this article, we will go over multiple aspects of journaling for goal setting. Let’s get started.
Why Keep a Journal
If the above information wasn’t enough to get you to get a journal. Let’s go over the different reasons why you should keep a journal to track your goals and progress.
Many Successful People Throughout The Years Did It With The Help Of a Journal
Benjamin Franklin, Oprah, Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marcus Aurelius, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, amongst many others were all people who kept a journal for their goals and achievements.
These individuals found value in journaling as a means of self-expression, reflection, and creative exploration.
Fun Fact: Marcus Aurelius’ personal writings became, “Meditations”, one of the most renowned works of Stoic philosophy and best selling books of all time.
Keeping a Journal Has Many Different Health Benefits
Reduces Stress:
Journaling helps to reduce stress by providing a safe space to express emotions and thoughts. It allows you to prioritize problems, fears, and concerns, which can lead to a reduction in stress levels.
Boosts Health and Well-being:
Journaling may boost health and well-being by providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors.
Encourages Mindfulness:
Journaling evokes mindfulness and helps writers remain present while keeping perspective. It presents an opportunity for emotional catharsis.
Improves Mental Health:
Journaling may be effective for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. It may also help you manage daily stress, monitor symptoms, and recognize triggers.
Improves Physical Health:
Journaling has been linked to lowered blood pressure, improved lung and liver function, and less time spent in hospital.
Boosts Immune Function:
Journal writing can help boost immune function, leading to fewer stress-related visits to the doctor and improved immune system functioning.
Reduces Anxiety:
Journaling can help reduce stress and anxiety by providing a space to express thoughts and feelings, and track progress and growth.
Decreases Mental Distress:
Journaling about your feelings is linked to decreased mental distress.
Helps You Track Your Progress
If you let your brain hold all the information, processing your progress will be more difficult. Writing down your goals and progress in a journal will help you track your progress much easier.
You’re Much Less Likely To Burn Out
As I said about tracking progress, this also applies to avoiding burnout. A lot of people give up on their goals due to the fact that storing everything in their brain just becomes way too much.
By writing down your thoughts, progress and goals, it makes the process of achieving them much more breathable.
Staying Motivated
Staying disciplined is definitely the most important factor when it comes to going after your goals. However, little hits of motivation here and there aren’t bad either. By reflecting in your journal, the little wins will remind you of how far you’ve come and how much more you can do.
Ways To Determine Your Goals While Journaling
Getting started is the hardest part (if you don’t already have your goals determined). You have your journal in hand, but aren’t quite sure how you could go about determining your goals. Let’s go over the process of determining what they are, and then expand on them.
The First Thing You Want To Do Is Free Write
If you haven’t established your goals. You probably feel like 1000 thoughts are running through your head and it’s hard to focus on the one that matters, or determine which ones matters. This is where free writing comes in. Start by writing down all the ideas you have.
After reviewing them all, you will know deep down which ones stands out the most to you.
SMART Goal Process
We go over this in our how to set goals article, however, we will briefly cover it again. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time-bound. This helps you take the goal that you’ve decided on and will help you break it down into smaller components.
These Smaller Components Will Then Be Written On a Daily Basis
Now that you have the smaller components. These are what you would write down on a daily basis, and it’s what you want to focus on when journaling.
Let’s say you want to start your own blog (my favorite example). These components when you get the blog going may be, writing one post per day, and redistribution. The check list may look like this.
- Write one blog post
- Create 5 pinterest pins for it
- Create a Tweet
- Create a LinkedIn Post
All of these tasks would be written down and then checked off once you accomplish them. This keeps the tasks manageable and gives you a sense of accomplishment once they are all done.
Reflection At The End Of The Day
Another powerful aspect of journaling allows you to reflect at the end of the day. Did you complete all your tasks with quality? Did you do something unplanned that wasn’t on the task list? This allows you to make adjustments in real time and refocus your efforts.
After Reflection Is The Best Time To Set Goals For The Next Day
I covered this aspect in my blog post, is it better to set goals in the morning or at night. The best time to set goals is the night before, right after reflection. (Check out the blog post to see all of the benefits).
Your mental energy in the morning is the most ready to go and you have the most clarity on where your focus needs to be. Writing down these goals for the next day allows you to start the day with a plan of attack and get going in the right direction.
40 Journal Prompts For Setting Goals
- What are three goals you want to accomplish in the next month? Why are they important to you?
- Reflect on a recent achievement. How did it make you feel? What steps did you take to reach that goal?
- Describe your ideal life five years from now. What goals would you need to achieve to make that vision a reality?
- What are three skills you would like to develop or improve upon? How will you go about acquiring or honing those skills?
- Think about a long-term goal you have. Break it down into smaller, manageable steps. Write about each step and how you plan to tackle them.
- What is one goal you’ve been hesitant to pursue? Explore the reasons behind your hesitation and brainstorm ways to overcome it.
- Write a letter to your future self, reflecting on the goals you’ve achieved. What advice would you give yourself for staying motivated and focused?
- Imagine you have unlimited resources and time. What goals would you set for yourself? How would achieving those goals impact your life?
- Identify three obstacles that often hinder your progress towards your goals. Brainstorm strategies for overcoming each obstacle.
- Think about your personal values and priorities. How do they align with your current goals? Are there any adjustments you need to make?
- Describe a goal that scares you but excites you at the same time. What steps can you take to push past your fears and pursue it?
- Reflect on a time when you set a goal but didn’t achieve it. What lessons did you learn from that experience? How can you apply those lessons moving forward?
- Imagine you’re giving a TED talk about achieving goals. What key points would you discuss? How have these points impacted your own goal-setting journey?
- Write about a goal that you’ve been procrastinating on. What specific actions can you take today to start making progress?
- Create a vision board or collage representing your goals. Describe each element and why it is meaningful to you.
- Reflect on a time when you faced a major setback or failure. How did you recover from it? How did that experience shape your approach to setting goals?
- Think about your physical and mental well-being. What goals can you set to improve your overall health and happiness?
- Explore the concept of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). How can you apply this framework to your own goal-setting process?
- Write about a time when you achieved a goal faster than expected. What factors contributed to your success? How can you replicate that experience?
- Identify one goal you’ve been pursuing primarily to please others. Reflect on whether it aligns with your own desires and values. Adjust or discard it if necessary.
- Visualize your ideal day, incorporating the goals you wish to achieve. Describe the activities, routines, and mindset that would contribute to making it a reality.
- Think about a goal that requires collaboration or support from others. Who can you reach out to for help or guidance? What steps can you take to build a strong support network?
- Explore the concept of “stretch goals” — ambitious targets that push you out of your comfort zone. What is one stretch goal you could set for yourself? How would achieving it impact your personal growth?
- Write a gratitude list related to your goals. What resources, opportunities, or strengths are you thankful for? How can you leverage them to achieve your objectives?
- Reflect on a goal you achieved in the past. What strategies or tactics did you find most effective? How can you apply those lessons to your current goals?
- Think about the areas of your life where you feel unfulfilled. What goals can you set to bring more meaning and satisfaction to those areas?
- Identify any limiting beliefs or negative self-talk that might be holding you back from pursuing your goals. Challenge those beliefs and replace them with empowering thoughts.
- Imagine you have all the knowledge and skills required to achieve your most ambitious goal. How would you approach it differently? What actions would you take today?
- Write about a goal that aligns with your passion or purpose. How does pursuing this goal make you feel? What steps can you take to prioritize it in your life?
- Reflect on the goals you set for the previous year. Evaluate your progress and identify any patterns or habits that helped or hindered your success.
- Describe a goal that requires you to step outside of your comfort zone. How can you build resilience and embrace discomfort in pursuit of this goal?
- Think about the resources you might need to achieve your goals (financial, educational, social, etc.). Brainstorm ways to acquire or access those resources.
- Write about a goal you’ve been putting off because it feels overwhelming. Break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. How does it look now?
- Reflect on your current daily routines and habits. How do they support or hinder your progress towards your goals? What adjustments can you make?
- Imagine you’re giving advice to a friend who wants to achieve a similar goal to yours. What wisdom would you share? How can you apply that advice to your own journey?
- Write a letter to your future self, celebrating the achievement of a specific goal. Be detailed in describing the emotions, experiences, and lessons you’ve gained along the way.
- Reflect on a goal you’ve achieved that required patience and perseverance. How did you stay motivated during challenging times? How can you apply those strategies to your current goals?
- Think about the goals you’ve set for yourself in different areas of your life (career, relationships, personal growth, etc.). Are they balanced? If not, what adjustments can you make?
- Write about a goal that has evolved or changed over time. How have your priorities or circumstances influenced this change? Are you still passionate about pursuing it?
- Reflect on the progress you’ve made towards your goals so far this year. Celebrate your accomplishments and identify areas where you can push yourself further in the coming months.
Skimming through these examples could really get your mind going and get you headed in the right direction.
How I Prefer To Journal
My journaling method is simple. On an every day basis I write down my tasks for the day. I do my best to complete them all. At the end of the day I reflect on what I did, didn’t do, and any changes that need to be made.
Here and there, when I’m facing a dilemma, I utilize different prompts to get a thought process going.
Just the other day for instance, I felt a bit confused about my purpose. So I googled prompts for finding purpose and came across this blog post. After utilizing it, I came away with the answers I needed.
Expert Opinions On Journaling For Goal Setting
Journaling for Goal Setting: Insights from Bayu Prihandito
“Writing down your goals is like a personal contract that holds you accountable. It allows for self-reflection and problem-solving, leading to insights that you might not have reached otherwise.” – Bayu Prihandito, Certified Psychology Expert and Founder of Life Architekture.
Journaling for Accountability: Words from Craig Kain, PhD
“It’s not really a goal unless it is written down. Our minds often look for loopholes and those are easy to find when our goals only exist in our minds. We can easily shift unwritten goals… Writing down goals gives us accountability to ourselves… We have greater awareness of what we are doing which can help us make SMARTer goals in the future.” – Craig Kain, PhD, Licensed Psychologist.
The Mindfulness in Journaling: Thoughts by Lily Thrope, LCSW, PLLC
“Putting pen to paper and writing down your goals can add accountability to the process… An important aspect of journaling about your goals is writing down your specific reasons for setting these goals… One of my favorite aspects of journaling is the mindfulness aspect to pausing in your day to write something down and reflect!” – Lily Thrope, LCSW, PLLC.
Conclusion
Journaling for me has been one of the most beneficial activities to track my progress and feelings. It’s a great way to keep yourself accountable as well as boost your health and overall well-being. At the end of the day, before bed, it’s one of my favorite things to do.
What you’ll realize is that your process may be different than mine, and that’s totally okay. Everyone is different, and if journaling helps you get closer to your goals then by all means, implement it into your routine!
I hope this article has given you some insight on how to use journaling for goal setting and tracking your progress. If you have any of your own advice, I’d be interested in hearing it in the comments below.