40+ Sample Goal Trackers

What Is a Goal Tracker?

A goal tracker is a tool used to monitor an individual or group’s personal or professional goals. It can be created using various formats such as a checklist or spreadsheet. Basically, anyone can use it to track any type of goal.  

According to an article by Lifehack, there are several downloadable apps that can help people effectively track goals. The seven apps that made it to the list are Strides, Way of Life, Goals on Track, Habitica, Coach.me, ATracker, and Toodledo.  

Examples of Goals 

There are many different types of goals. People can choose to focus on one or attempt to juggle multiple goals at the same time. It’s perfectly fine for goals to overlap. However, practicing prioritization will help maximize your time and effort for working on the more important ones. The following are examples of common goals many people strive for:     

Health Goals: If one’s health is at stake, setting a goal may be an involuntary choice. When people are confronted by the results of a culmination of their bad habits, it can often force them to rethink certain lifestyle choices. It’s only when physical ailments start to manifest that people start realizing they have been neglecting their health. Sometimes, even too late. Setting health goals is one way to get back on track and hopefully undo some damage. These types of goals can sometimes be targeted due to certain health conditions. It may also entail managing certain diseases and curbing bad habits. For a person with diabetes, the disease may be manageable with the right goals (e.g., maintain a healthy blood sugar level) and lifestyle choices.  Fitness Goals: One of the most popular goals for people of all ages and backgrounds is exercise or fitness. Exercise and physical activity are an essential part of maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle. Some people set fitness goals to lose weight. Others want to bulk up or improve their strength and endurance. But no matter what the target area or mode of exercise, these goals are always best paired with a healthy diet and lifestyle choices. The overall goal to become more healthy is a conscious choice. The decision to do it and the commitment to it are the two most difficult steps when it comes to accomplishing fitness goals. Financial Goals: Money is a top priority for a lot of people. But financial wellness and literacy are often just means to an end. People save up to create a retirement fund, to buy a house or car, or to invest in hobbies or interests. Money can bring wellness and success, if handled responsibly. But it’s not enough to set financial goals purely for the sake of accumulating money. There is usually a bigger or overarching goal that sets a higher objective. For instance, a common goal is maintaining a savings account or an emergency fund. With rising uncertainty and instability in the economy today, setting aside enough money to get through hard times is a worthwhile goal. Career Goals: As the cliché goes, growing up is mandatory but growth is optional. Professional development may also be considered optional. It’s one thing to hold a job and keep it; but it’s another thing to actually thrive and be intentional about professional growth. It’s no secret that a lot of people feel stuck or end up stagnant in their jobs. Having a career goal will not only help avoid that scenario, but it could also provide the right motivation to seek out worthwhile challenges and better opportunities. Many people work all their lives trying to climb the corporate ladder. Some desire security and stability; while others seek careers that bring personal fulfillment and meaning. Whatever your professional goals are, an important aspect to consider is how well you know yourself and what it is you truly want. Relationship Goals: Relationships are a very important aspect in a person’s life. People are social beings after all; and everyone needs a basic sense of belonging and connection. Relationships do not only enrich our lives, but the support that we draw from all of our relationships contribute greatly to our overall well being. These types of goals are not just limited to romantic and familial relationships. Platonic and business relationships apply as well. For example, a person may make it a point to catch up or spend quality time with their best friend every two weeks. Or a couple may make the collective decision to attend therapy together and repair their relationship. Whatever the circumstance, relationship goals focus on building deeper connections, strengthening and/or fixing a partnership or friendship, and improving the quality of relationships. Vacation and Travel Goals: Many people today are fortunate enough to enjoy the accessibility and efficiency that modern travel and transportation bring. Bucket lists are popular, and more so with younger generations. Travel and vacation goals include solo travel, family vacations, or group travel. It’s common for people to list down cities and countries they want to travel to. Vacation goals tend to sometimes overlap with other goals like financial ones. For example, a young couple plans to travel to South America to celebrate their anniversary. And in order to achieve the goal, they need to save up enough money to cover all the trip expenses. The scenario is an example of three goals (i.e., travel, relationship, financial) that are all interconnected to serve a common purpose.

Tips for Reaching Goals

Celebrate Small Wins: As much as possible, you want to stick to your goals. This is easier said than done. It’s difficult enough to get started, but having to follow through with plans can be a challenge. Many people start out motivated and determined; but after a while, the momentum gradually depletes or it becomes harder to sustain in the long run. It’s important to give yourself enough incentive to keep moving forward. You want your goals to be sustainable and achievable. It’s always important to have the right mindset. Try celebrating milestones and small wins. It’s crucial you acknowledge your progress because it might help refill your motivation tank. But of course, celebrating small wins shouldn’t be abused either. For instance, you can afford a cheat day when you’ve reached a fitness milestone. The tendency of some people is they end up overdoing it.  Be Kind to Yourself: People set goals to improve an aspect of their lives. Improvement and results don’t come overnight. Goals should not be viewed as a prison sentence. It’s important to allow enough room for growth as well as mistakes. Being too rigid and caught up in the miniscule details of our goals will only bring disappointment and frustration. If you beat yourself up for taking too long to achieve your dreams or for making mistakes, it helps to take a step back and regularly check yourself. Don’t give in to negative self-talk and always treat yourself with kindness- emotionally, physically, and mentally. Don’t Compare Yourself with Others: There’s wisdom in the saying, “Compare and despair.”. This is a common pitfall for people. Resist the urge to keep up with the people around you. It’s not their goals you are working on, it’s yours. If you are constantly distracted and invested in comparing your achievements with others, you will always feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. It is good to look up to people for inspiration and motivation. But as soon as you take it to the extreme, it becomes detrimental and counter-productive. Focus on your personal growth and development minus the need for external validation and comparison.

How to Create a Goal Tracker

You can choose to create your own goal tracker from scratch or with the help of a ready-made template. Creating a goal tracker is relatively easy; but staying committed to it is a different story. To get started, follow these important steps: 

Step 1: Identify the Goal

Goals can be simple or complex, depending on your objectives. Whatever you set out to do or accomplish, it’s good to keep in mind SMART goals. A SMART goal is a popular method used and it stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time based. If your goal meets this criteria, you are more likely to stick to it. Another thing to consider is prioritization. If you list down too many goals, you run the risk of overcommitting, under delivering, or even, burnout. Sticking to a few goals that you can wholeheartedly commit to is better than spreading yourself too thin and achieving dismal results. 

Step 2: Format the Goal Tracker

A goal tracker can be a personal project so you have the freedom to choose what format will best suit your preferences or needs. A checklist is one option. You can create a table and label the columns accordingly. A spreadsheet or worksheet can also be used to track goals. It’s easier and more convenient to use an Excel spreadsheet or an online worksheet. If you want to dig a little deeper and go the extra mile, creating a questionnaire or bullet journal will allow you to reflect further, record your personal thoughts, and contemplate any challenges and noteworthy experiences.

Step 3: Set the Targets

Once you have your format in place, assign all the important labels and details. For example, if your goal tracker is a table or worksheet, include columns for listing the specific goal, target date or timeline, action plan, challenges, and add an extra column for comments and/or reflections. This is essentially the planning phase of your goal tracker. Brainstorm ideas, gather data, or research about how to craft a solid action plan. Don’t stress too much about having to make minor adjustments or modifying some goals. Goals can change in the same way people also change. It’s perfectly acceptable and natural to adjust your goals according to your present needs and situation. 

Step 4: Update the Goal Tracker Regularly

Part of sustainable progress is constant tracking and monitoring. You don’t have to obsess over it, but it is good to have some idea of how far you’ve come. Even if you do accomplish your goals, the process is never really quite complete. Self-improvement and learning are lifelong processes and ongoing struggles. Completed or old goals just get replaced by new ones. The habit of looking back, updating, and regularly checking in with yourself can prove to be beneficial in the long run.  

FAQs

How do you keep track of goals?

You can keep track of your goals using different methods. You can create a personal monitoring sheet, it can be either physical or digital. You can also download an app that helps you track goals. If you choose the former, it is best to come up with a comprehensive and detailed spreadsheet. Whenever you hit a milestone or accomplish a relevant task, make sure to dutifully record it.

What are the 3 types of goals?

According to an online article published by Eastern Washington University, the three types of goals are process goals, performance goals, and outcome goals. Process goals focus on controllable, action and time-based processes. For example, a gym buff’s goal is to spend at least an hour and a half at the gym. Performance goals involve reaching or maintaining a certain personal standard. An example of this would be a person with diabetes who makes it his personal goal to achieve normal-level blood sugar. Lastly, outcome goals are bent on accomplishing a certain result or outcome. For instance, an entry-level employee aims to be promoted to a supervisory position the following year.

How do you manage your daily goals?

There are a couple of useful tips when trying to manage your daily goals. The first one is having a plan. Having a plan of action can keep you focused and save you from unnecessary distractions. Secondly, take it one step at a time. Everything seems difficult and overwhelming when we try to do everything all at once or allow ourselves to think about how much work there is. But if we cross things out one by one and focus on achieving little tasks, it will seem more manageable.

It’s good to have goals. They keep us focused and propel us to move forward. And although some goals are harder to achieve than others, there are different things we can do to stick to our goals. Keeping a goal tracker is one of those useful ways. Browse the wide collection of sample templates above to get started on your own goals!