40 Journal Prompts for Goal Setting Clarity
Do you struggle with not knowing what goals to set or how to achieve them? Maybe it’s a lack of clarity holding you back or maybe you’re setting goals based on the expectations of other people.
I’ve been guilty of setting goals that didn’t resonate with me. And sometimes I’ve avoided goal setting altogether because my self-doubt convinced me I wouldn’t achieve them anyway.
The most important lesson I’ve learned about goal setting is that my goals must reflect my dreams and values – not anyone else’s.
So, I created these journal prompts for goal setting to help you get clear on what you want so you can not only set aligned goals but achieve them as well.
Table of Contents
Why Journaling Plays a Role in Goal Setting
Most people assume goal-setting is easy. But it can be overwhelming when you don’t know what you want or when you struggle to get things done due to procrastination.
I’ve found that writing down your goals in a journal – or even a sheet of paper – can bring you clarity. Would you waste time writing down a goal you don’t want to achieve?
I also believe that writing goals down helps us to make them more real versus just thinking of a goal and keeping it in our minds.
These goal journal prompts should help you discover your authentic desires, create an action plan, and motivate you to achieve all the goals you set for yourself.
40 Journal Prompts for Goal Setting
Getting Clear through Self-Reflection
To set aligned goals, you have to know exactly what you want.
As a former people-pleaser, this was a challenge for me. The goals I had set for myself were more about meeting other’s expectations than honoring my dreams.
Today, my goals reflect me and what I truly want out of life – no matter how untraditional or out of the norm they may be.
Use these journal prompts to help you get clear about what you genuinely want and desire.
1. What are three things you want to achieve for yourself? Think about something you want to achieve that’s just for you. Don’t think about what anyone else wants you to achieve.
2. Describe a time in your life when you felt truly fulfilled. What made it so fulfilling? What aspects of the experience would you want to recreate in the future?
3. Ignore all your limiting beliefs for a moment. What five things would you want to experience in your lifetime? Dream as big as you’d like and be 100% honest with yourself.
4. What are some goals you’ve set in the past, but did not accomplish? Were these goals aligned with what you truly wanted?
5. Write a letter to yourself 10 years from now that includes all the goals you’d be proud to say you achieved. Try to include supporting details about how you accomplished the goals, any setbacks, and how you felt after achieving the goals.
6. What would you do differently in your life if you weren’t afraid of judgment or failure? List at least three things. What can you do to overcome these fears so that live more authentically?
7. Write down the names of three people you admire. What is one quality each person possesses that you’d like to see reflected in yourself?
8. Describe a goal you feel conflicted about. The details matter here. Why do you feel conflicted? Is it because it’s outside the norm? Is it because you don’t believe you could truly achieve it?
9. What’s one thing you wish people knew about you? Why is it important for them to know? Do people knowing this make you feel like your goals might be easier to achieve?
10. Reflect on a day that was perfect for you. A day where you did everything you wanted to do. What specific things made this day perfect? Is there anything you can do to create more perfect days?
Defining Your Big Picture Goals
Don’t overlook your long-term goals. These are goals you set for the year and beyond. I like to think of these as your end goals.
Specifically, where do you want to be at the end of this journey?
These journal prompts can help you decide where you want to be in the long run.
11. Imagine your ideal life in five years. Describe in detail what your life looks like. How do you feel? What do you do? What are three things you have achieved?
12. When you think of your legacy, what do you want to leave behind? Think about how you want to be remembered.
13. Describe the person you want to become in the next decade. How different is this from the person you are today?
14. To become the person you want to be, what are three skills or qualities you must learn to master? In what way will these skills help advance you?
15. What’s one major life goal you’ve always wanted to achieve? How long have you had this goal and what would accomplishing it mean to you?
16. Give deep thought to this question. If money and time did not matter, what would you do in life? This could help you figure out your life passions if you don’t know them.
17. If there was one career or project you would be excited to wake up to every day, what would it be? What is it about this career or project that excites you? How would you feel doing this daily?
18. List five things that are non-negotiable in your dream life. How did you come up with these non-negotiables? Why are these important things for you to have?
19. Think about the most important people in your life. How do you want to include them in your long-term goals? Do you want them to reap the benefits?
20. Putting all your long-term goals into perspective, list your top three in order of importance. Why are these three on your list? How much impact will achieving these goals have on your life?
Breaking Down Goals and Setting Intentions
In my efforts to grow this blog into the business I want it to be, I know that having a daily plan is essential.
But so is being intentional with the goals I set each month. This ensures I am working on the right things to move my blog forward.
These prompts will help you brainstorm ways to break your goals into smaller steps while you master the art of intentional goal setting.
21. Think about one of your short-term goals. What three steps can you take this week to move you closer to reaching this goal? Try to include a step that focuses on mindset and not just physical actions.
22. List things you can do each morning to be more productive. Of the things you listed, which ones do you think will be easy to do and which ones will be hard?
23. What are some resources or tools to help you stay on track with your goals? Think about planners, Pomodoro, etc….
24. Reflect on goals from last month. Identify two things that worked well and two things that didn’t. Moving forward, what will you continue to do more of and what will you be leaving behind?
25. Think of a goal that you can accomplish in one month. Break the goal into 4 major tasks – one to be completed each week. How would you reward yourself for reaching this goal?
26. Identify one area of your life you want to improve this month. Why have you chosen this area to improve?
27. Create a personal affirmation that will motivate you each day. Limit the affirmation to 10 words or less to make it easier to recite from memory.
28. Think about your daily habits. What’s one new habit you can introduce this month to help with goal-setting? Will this new habit be difficult to start?
29. What’s one intention you can set this week that will keep you aligned with one of your bigger goals? How do you plan to follow through with this intention?
30. List three actions you will focus on this week to be more fulfilled. Explain why you think each action will fulfill you.
Staying Committed and Overcoming Setbacks
I’ve had my share of setbacks on my blogging journey. But it never deterred me. I’ve definitely had to step away at times, but it’s been four years now and I keep on coming back.
Staying committed through the ups and downs is important to remember on your goal-achieving journey.
There will be obstacles. But if you let that stop you, you’ll never make any progress toward your goals.
These prompts focus on staying committed and pushing through despite the setbacks and challenges you may face.
31. Describe a recent setback you’ve experienced while trying to achieve a goal. What did you learn from it? What will it take for you to keep moving forward?
32. On your hardest days, what is it that keeps you motivated? Is it a person, a thing, or the potential outcome?
33. What’s one thing you’re proud of yourself for overcoming? Include details about the situation you overcame.
34. Think about a difficult moment. Now imagine if you could go back to this point in time. What advice would you give yourself? List at least two pieces of advice.
35. What’s a goal you gave up on? Reflect on what happened during this time. What could you have done differently?
36. Recall a challenge you faced this month. What impact did this challenge have on you? Did it make you stronger? How would you navigate a similar challenge in the future?
37. Describe one of the toughest goals you have achieved. Name three reasons why you kept going instead of giving up.
38. What’s one mistake you’ve made when it comes to achieving or setting a goal? What did you learn from this mistake and how have you used it to grow?
39. Think about what you need to achieve your goals. What are three necessities you must have in order to stay committed to your goals? List the necessities in order of greatest importance.
40. Create a simple action plan for when you face your next setback. Write down six detailed steps you can take to tackle the obstacle.
You’re on Your Way to Achieving Your Goals
We all know that achieving goals takes more effort and energy than setting goals.
These journal prompts should provide you with the clarity to not only take the first step toward reaching your biggest goals but also help you overcome obstacles.
Remember that setting goals is just one piece of the puzzle. You also have to put in the work and take action.
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