Goal Tracker Template Printable

Forget goal tracking apps! (I’ll explain precisely why in a second.) This goal tracking template printable is a great way to keep track of everything from academic to financial goals (and everything in between).

Did you know that simply tracking a goal can increase your likelihood of success? It’s true! According to the APA (American Psychological Association), “If you are trying to achieve a goal, the more often that you monitor your progress, the greater the likelihood that you will succeed. Your chances of success are even more likely if you report your progress publicly or physically record it.”

That’s why you need this goal tracker printable! 🙂

This printable is a fantastic way to keep your goals on track no matter what they are. It was originally part of the student planner printable bundle, more on that later, but it can be used to keep track of any and all goals. Yep, use it as a money goal tracker, weight loss goal tracker, academic or career goal tracker template, or anything else.

Table of Contents

Goal Tracking Apps

I’ll bet some of you are thinking “there’s an app for that,” and you’re right; there are plenty of goal tracking apps. In fact, I bet there are thousands of “best goal tracking apps” articles to help you find just the right fit. However, I truly believe that this visual goal tracker printable would beat all of the so-called “best goal tracking apps.” Here’s why:

Effective – Hand-writing your goals increases the likelihood you’ll achieve them. Yes, really; an article published on inc.com reported that “You are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.”
Customization – Whether you’re looking for a money goal tracker, savings goal tracker, weight loss goal tracker, academic goal tracker, or anything in between, you can rely on this goal progress tracker printable. Unfortunately, most apps are geared toward one theme such as weight loss or budgeting. This means you may need multiple apps to keep track of various goals.
Distractions – Or should I say lack thereof? If you’re easily distracted by games, social media, badges on apps, etc, using an online goal progress tracker may not be the best idea. I’m proud to say that this goal tracker template is distraction free! 😉
Cost – Some of the best goal tracking apps have a reoccurring monthly fee, up-charges for full functionality, or annoying ads. And while this is a frugal, not a free, goal tracking sheet, the cost is very low and there are no reoccurring charges to worry about.

See there are a lot of reasons to opt for a printable to keep your goals on track instead of an app.

Bonus: If you are planning to use this as a weight loss or money goal tracker and you’d like something a little more in-depth, there are options! For weight loss try:

2 Free Weight Loss Tracker Printables

3 Printable Hourly Schedule Templates – They allow you to track water intake and exercise.

For money and savings goals try:

Free DIY Budget Binder Printables

Free Household Budget Worksheet – PDF & Excel Printable

Goal Tracker Template Printable

This visual goal tracker printable has everything you need to work toward achieving four separate goals at one time. And while you could print additional pages to track additional goals, in the next section, we’ll talk about why that might not be a good idea. We’ll also cover how to set yourself up for success by using SMART goals for students, professionals, etc. The template includes:

Lines to write out your goal in detail. Be specific! You’ll see why in the next section.
A field to write a deadline in.
A checkbox for you to tick when you’ve accomplished your goal.
Step-by-step breakdowns so you can figure out exactly what you need to do next to move closer to achieving your goal!

This goal tracker template printable is the perfect way for students or professionals to keep track of all of their goals.

This goal tracker printable is not so much a daily goal tracker or a monthly goal tracker as simply a goal progress tracking sheet. It is not a daily goal tracker because you do not necessarily need to (nor will you be able to) update your progress on a daily basis. However, it may be a good idea to reflect on your goals on a daily basis … so feel free to refer back to this template daily to keep your goals fresh in your mind! If you do want a daily goal tracker you may be able to include micro-steps to move you forward on a free printable daily planner like this one.

SMART Goals for Students and Professionals

Okay, now that you’ve got your hands on the template that is going to help you keep your goals on track, let’s talk about how to set goals and how to set yourself up for success. (This applies whether you’re using this as a savings goal tracker, academic goal tracker, or anything else.) The best way to set goals is to make them SMART. Here’s what that stands for:

S – Specific – In order to be SMART a goal must be fully fleshed out. It cannot be vague or abstract.
M – Measurable – There has to be a way to track not only progress toward accomplishing the goal but also success (or failure).
A – Achievable – The goal must be realistic.
R – Relevant – Why is this a goal? What’s the benefit of actually following through? Why does it matter?
T – Time-bound – There should be a date (a deadline) on the goal.

Since this sorta monthly goal tracker template 😉 was initially created for students, as part of the student planner printable bundle (see the next section), let’s look at SMART goals for students.

A good SMART goals examples for students would be: To raise my grade in math from a B+ to an A by the end of the quarter, which is still seven weeks away, so that I will have straight A’s and be eligible for that college scholarship. That goal is:

Specific – You’re trying to get an A in math.
Measurable – By tracking your assignment and test scores throughout the quarter you should be able to measure your progress toward this goal, and your final grade is obviously measurable. It will either be an A (success) or not.
Achievable – Since you already have a B+ going to an A shouldn’t be impossible. Plus, you have seven weeks to do it.
Relevant – It’s important that this goal be achieved so you can be eligible for a scholarship.
Time-bound – The goal will be accomplished by the end of the quarter, which is in seven weeks.

So that’s a good SMART goals examples for students; now let’s look at a bad SMART goals examples for students: To do better at school. Right off the bat, that goal is super vague (not specific), right? Since it can’t be defined, how can it be measured? See, it really doesn’t fit the SMART acronym at all!

And while SMART goals don’t specifically say to limit the number of goals you’re working toward at one time, it makes sense that you wouldn’t want to spread yourself too thin, right? In other words, don’t work toward 20 goals at once!

Bonus: Here are more tips on setting back-to-school goals.

The Goal Tracking Printable and the 13-Page Student Planner Printable Bundle

The goal tracker template is part of the 13-page student planner printable bundle. However, it is by no means just for students. Anyone can use (and benefit) from setting (and tracking) goals! Furthermore, you do not need to use all 13-pages of the student planner printable bundle; rather, pick and choose based on the areas that are most important to you or where you are struggling with organization and tracking the most. Here are the individual pieces of the student planner printable bundle: