Personal Goals Planner

Who this is for

Goals with a first step attached. Each goal gets a line for why it matters, what the very first action is, when it should be done by and how far along it is; the milestones underneath break the big ones into dates you can tick.

Anyone setting goals for a year, a season or a project — and anyone who has set goals before and found that writing them down was not enough on its own.

What this helps you track

• The goals themselves, in a few words each
• Why each one matters, which is what keeps it alive in March
• The first concrete step, so there is something to do tomorrow
• A date, a progress mark and the milestones on the way

How to use it

1. Write the period the goals are for and the date you set them.
2. Add each goal on its own row. Keep it short enough to fit; the detail goes in the milestones.
3. For each goal write why it matters to you and the very first step — something you could do in an hour.
4. Give each a date and mark its progress; in the browser the progress column is a drop-down you update as you go.
5. Break the larger goals into milestones on the checklist, each with its own date, and tick them as they are reached.
6. Review the sheet on the date you set at the top, and again whenever a goal changes.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How many goals should I set?

There are six rows and no rule. Fewer goals with real first steps tend to survive longer than a long list, but that is your call.

What makes a good first step?

Something specific and small enough to do soon without preparation: make a call, book a lesson, clear a shelf, write the first page. If the first step needs its own plan, it is not the first step.

What is the difference between a goal and a milestone?

A goal is where you are trying to get to. A milestone is a point on the way that you can tick with a date — the first month done, the deposit saved, the draft finished.

Does the browser version remind me?

No. It saves what you typed in your own browser and shows it when you come back. Put the review date in whatever calendar you actually look at.