You know that feeling when you are looking forward to your next holiday? Or the shivers of excitement that run down the back of your spine when you visualise yourself walking in your new house? That is the feeling we should be connected to when setting our goals and writing them down.

As a writing supporter and trainer, I encourage all my friends and clients to set their goals on paper. I even dedicated an entire chapter from my book “Write Your Way To Happiness” to the activity of writing to plan for your goals. Beyond all of the benefits of journaling, keeping a goals journal will save you lots of time and pain in the long run. How? Let’s explore further.

Reason #1: Accountability

When you set an objective in your mind, it is easy to postpone it or not take it seriously. You think that nobody else knows about it, so it doesn’t really matter if you fulfill your goal or not.

In this case, your self-discipline needs accountability. You need to feel committed in order to have the extra urge to complete your objective. Your first commitment is to yourself. By writing your goal down, you make an additional commitment to paper. Because you know that you will look into that journal one month from now and those letters on the page will hold you accountable.

If you want to go the extra mile, tell a friend or your coach what is your goal for the month. Ask them to remind you periodically and to question your progress along the way. This way you will feel compelled to finalise your goal.

Reason #2: Structure

Setting a goal can make you feel good but then it can hit you: how am I going to get there? Writing down your objective in a journal will be followed by the planning stage, when you break it down into actionable steps.

Putting pen to paper is a great way to give structure to your tangled thoughts and plans, therefore your journal will help you stay on track. Creating the steps of your plan will give your goal a structure, will take away the feeling of overwhelm and will get you closer to achieving your targets.

Reason #3: Obstacles

Sometimes you can get carried away and dream of your goal with too much intensity. Yes, it is great to dream, but a pinch of reality can also save you some time. In my goals journal, I have a section that prompts me to think about any potential challenges I might encounter.

This way, I can think of any risks or something that might hold me back from accomplishing my goal. Of course, you can never predict all the challenges, but if it is something you could have prevented, you will be thankful to save time in advance and have a back-up plan.

Reason #4: Celebration

When you write down your goals in your journal, after making sure you took care of the potential obstacles, focus on the image of you achieving your goal. And visualize yourself celebrating. What will you do? Who will you call first? How are you going to spoil yourself?

In the race of constantly winning, we tend to run from one goal to the next, without taking a break to actually celebrate and acknowledge ourselves for the effort and for the great job we have done. It really matters because you should be your number one fan.

Reason #5: Timeline

There is a difference between the short term goals and your long term vision. You should of course be very clear on your vision, because it will keep you focused and connected to your purpose along the way. When you have a vision of where you want to get, you will be able to set short term goals. Each of these goals is meant to bring you closer to your long term vision.

Let’s say for example that you have a vision of where you want to be in five years. You will then create your goals for each year. Then you can gradually write them down quarterly, and then monthly. My favorite way of keeping my goals journal is on a monthly basis. I get to check in with my values and my vision every month, and set my goals that take me closer step by step.

Keeping a goals journal will make you more connected to your purpose. You will take action because you will have your plan written down and that will support you in taking so much hustle and pain away.

If you need support in planning for your goals and achieving them, write them down. If you want an additional hand, you can reach out to coaching.