Free goal setting template: choose what matters now

How to choose your goals

Put the choices next to each other before you decide what to work on.

1. Write the goals you're considering

   Start with the goals that keep coming to mind, not everything you could do. Give each a short name in your own words. The template has room for three, but one or two are fine. A goal can be learning a language, making a photo book or starting a side project. You don't need a polished sentence yet. If your list is longer, choose three to compare on this sheet and keep the rest somewhere else. You can print another copy later. The limit is there to make the choices easier to see together, not to say that other goals don't count.

2. Say why each one matters

   Write a reason you'd recognize on a busy day. Learning Spanish might mean talking with relatives; organizing photos might make it easier to share them. You don't need a reason that sounds impressive to anyone else. If two goals matter for the same reason, write that down too: it can show you have more than one way to get what you want. If you're unsure, leave the box blank and come back. Ask what would be different if the goal were finished and who would notice. Your answer can change as you learn more about the work involved.

3. Estimate the time each goal needs

   Think about the next part of the work, not every hour the whole goal might take. A note like "15 minutes on five days" or "one Saturday afternoon" is enough to begin comparing. If the work needs another person, include the time to arrange that as well as the time you spend doing it. These notes are guesses, not promises. Look at an ordinary week with your existing commitments in it. You might find that one goal can fit into short sessions while another needs a longer stretch you don't have yet. Leave room for time off and for the things you already do.

4. Compare the choices and pick a focus

   Read across each row: the goal, its reason and the time note. Which one matters to you now, and which fits the time you have? A goal with a deadline may deserve attention first, but you can also choose the one you'd most like to make progress on. Write the choice under My focus now. If two goals fit together, you can name both, but check that the time notes still fit together. The sheet doesn't rank them for you. Its job is to make the trade-off visible before you fill your calendar.

5. Write what can wait and check back

   Put the other ideas under What can wait. They aren't lost just because they're not the focus today. Decide when you'll look at your choice again and write that date on the printout. If the week looks different by then, adjust the focus or fill out a fresh sheet. Once you've chosen, use the goal setting worksheet to turn that one goal into a milestone and this week's tasks. This template helps you choose between goals; the worksheet helps you plan the one you picked.

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