Goal tracking with Obsidian

Tracking goals with Obsidian can be done with a simple and effective process.

SMART goals

Best practices for goal tracking start with the SMART framework:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time bound

The process

Decompose your goal into actions.
Assign dates to deliver the end result of those actions.
Measure progress on each action.
Correct course if you deviate from the target date.
Abandon quickly if the goal is no longer relevant.

Structure

Create a note for each goal.
Break it down into tasks with start and end dates.
Use the Tasks or Task Notes plugin to manage them.
Add comments for progress, difficulties, and reasons for rescheduling.
Each task can have its own note if you link it in the description.

Important

If you reschedule a goal or task, justify it to yourself in clear written words.
This prevents endless rescheduling and forces conscious decisions.

Tracking progress

Use Dataview, Tasks queries, or Task Notes views (kanban, calendar, etc.) to monitor progress.
When a task disappears from the query, it means it is done, canceled, or reprioritized.

Comparison

Concept	Definition	Example
Goal	Desired outcome, defined with SMART	Run a half-marathon in 6 months
Action	Steps required to achieve the goal	Follow a 3-day weekly training plan
Task	Concrete, trackable unit of work	Run 5 km on Wednesday morning

Tip

Goals are achieved not by writing them down, but by executing small, trackable tasks consistently.
Obsidian helps by making the process transparent, measurable, and reviewable.