We live in a world filled with distractions. Whether it’s the latest streaming series or drama on the internet, getting sidetracked from working on your goals is easy—even for people who are disciplined enough to write them down in the first place. And while you may think you’re strong enough to resist, diversion will never be more than a cell phone screen away. That’s where a visual goal tracker comes in handy.
Visual goal trackers are effective tools when you’re fighting to stay focused. Not only will they help you track your goals and stay on target, they’ll also turn the process into a fun and absorbing activity.
The right visual goal-tracking template will help you realize your aims despite the numerous distractions tugging at your sleeve. All you need are a commitment to your objectives and these simple guidelines for tailoring the goal tracker to your requirements.
Write down your goals
Reaching your goals starts with writing them down. In fact, a recent study on goal-setting found that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down first. A good goal-setting template provides a means for clarifying your strategy from the get-go, significantly improving your chances of staying on track.
To kick off the process, capture as many goals as you can think of. Concentrate on what’s achievable and plan each step in order of priority. Defining your goals is a great launching pad when you’re serious about reaching your target.
Writing things down during the goal-setting process is a smart way to determine what style of visual goal tracker will work for you, and helps to personalize your template. Moreover, it drastically increases the probability that you’ll attain your goals.
Power tip: Use Evernote’s goal-setting template to easily keep tabs on multiple goals across various areas of your life. With your list in hand, you can then tailor the template to fit your specific objectives.
Create your digital vision board
Creating a digital vision board involves collecting words and images representing your goal and how you intend to get there. This works wonders if you’re looking for more inspiration, as a detailed visual representation can be an excellent motivational tool for any goal tracker.
You should consult your board regularly to see how well you’re doing—or to remind yourself of what you’re working toward. Start with a suitable visual goal-tracking template, then tweak it to fit what you’re looking for. You’ll find it’s easy to tailor the template to your needs as you go.
Here’s a simple guide to creating an effective digital vision board:
- Clarify each step. Write down every step you need to take to reach your end goal, starting from where you are today. Make your steps actionable and be as detailed as possible.
- Find the right images. A digital vision board works best with images that represent each stage of the journey. Ideally, they should be pictures from your own life, though you’re free to use any that are appropriate. This reminds you of where you began and inspires you to keep moving forward.
- Arrange images on your digital vision board. Lay out your pictures in a way that makes sense to you. You might even want to use them as the background on your phone or computer desktop for a constant reminder of your goals.
Power tip: With Evernote’s Web Clipper, you can save anything you see on the internet, such as photos, quotes, ideas, and other pieces of inspiration. Once you have them stored in Evernote, you can copy and paste them into your digital vision board, adding relevant tags, titles, and even reminders to help keep you motivated.
Document personal milestones
Documenting personal milestones—even seemingly insignificant ones—helps you stay motivated by reminding you how far you’ve come. Tracking your progress through the use of a visual goal tracker provides numerous psychological benefits and will help inspire you to keep moving forward—no matter the distraction—so you can achieve your goals.
By combining text with photos, you’re more likely to remember the message and stay on task. Indeed, the whole point of a visual goal tracker is to develop visual cues to keep you engaged. That applies to personal milestones as well. It’s a great way to acknowledge what you have accomplished and inspire you to take the next step.
Power tip: Evernote lets you readily add images to a note, then place them on your visual goal tracker at the appropriate point. Moreover, it keeps everything centralized and accessible on every device, providing you with a quick visual reminder of your goals everywhere you go.
Visual goal tracker for the win
The trick to achieving big goals is to break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. Creating a unique visual goal tracker for every project you tackle will provide you with the inspiration you need to stick with your plan—regardless of diversions.
The best visual goal-tracking templates deliver strong visual cues at just the right time, giving you an overview of your progress and a sense of accomplishment with each milestone achieved.
