23 Writing Down Goals Statistics, Facts and Trends in 2024

Every year, approximately 38.5% of US adults set New Year’s resolutions. However, writing down goals statistics indicate that about 80% of our well-intentioned goals end up fizzling out by February. By the end of the year 92% will have failed to achieve their goals.

To navigate the changing landscape of personal growth and set your life or business on a path to success in 2024, let’s dive into twenty three key writing down goals statistics that can not only remind you  to write down goals, but do so in a way that you can truly thrive.

Key Writing Down Goals Statistics

1. Only three percent of the population set goals.
2. Only one percent actually write their goals down.
3. According to a study by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University on goal setting statistics, if you write down your goals, you are 42 percent more likely to achieve them.
4. The individuals who set time-bound goals and start weekly progress reporting encourage peers to achieve 40% more than those who did not.
5. Law of attraction fans keeping a manifesting or gratitude journal increase their chances of achieving a goal by 20%.
6. Research on goal setting theory, conducted by Locke and Latham has shown that in 90% of the studies individuals performed better when their goals were both specific, meaningful and challenging.
7. Only 3% of individuals who make written objectives with precise methods, reaching ten times more than those who don’t.
8. According to Gallup, only 41% of people in the United States make New year’s resolutions according to writing down goals statistics.
9. According to a survey, 35% of individuals who start New Year’s resolutions abandon them within a week.

What are the statistics on goal setting?

There is no definitive answer to this question as different people have different opinions on what constitutes a successful outcome when setting goals.

However, writing down goals studies suggests, some experts suggest, that setting goals and working towards them can increase the likelihood of achieving success by up to 50%.

Additionally, it has been shown that people who set and write down their goals are more likely to achieve them than those who do not.

23 Writing Down Goals Statistics

1. Those who keep a manifestation journal are 20% more successful in achieving their goals than those who don’t.  According to a research study led by Professor Gail Matthews, a psychologist from the Dominican University of California, it was found that individuals who documented their goals were more successful in achieving them compared to those who only thought about what they wanted to accomplish. As the famous quote by Saint Exupery suggests, “A goal without a plan is merely a wish.” The act of putting goals onto paper provided an authentic foundation for their realization.
2. Those who set time-bound goals and begin weekly progress reporting to their encouraging peers achieve 40% more than those who did not. According to Matthews, accountability improves the chances of your goals being achieved by up to 65%. It doesn’t mean you need help from others. Although, sharing your goals and having support can indeed be beneficial. By reviewing your goal journal and tracking your progress on paper you can hold yourself accountable. By doing this you can stay motivated to your actionable goals, and meet your objectives.
3. Job ambition clarity influences overall motivation in the workplace. According to this research, being specific about your goals significantly boosts employees’ motivation. It suggests that being clear regarding your objectives is effective in achieving them. Instead of succeeding through broad aspirations, you may be more specific about your goals to encourage yourself to achieve them.
4. The research revealed that goal-setting intervention programs for students predicted to fail resulted in substantial academic improvement. This research demonstrated that goal-setting methods could help a large portion of the student body overcome their initial lack of motivation to get a degree and complete it. While the findings have academic relevance, this study is an excellent example demonstrating how goal-setting may propel someone to achieve significant milestones in life.
5. 90% of individuals performed better when their goals were relevant and challenging, according to a study conducted on participants. According to this research, which was among the first to advocate specificity when creating feasible and challenging goals, setting difficult goals for people who genuinely can accomplish them resulted in significantly higher performance.
6. People are ten times more likely to keep their New Year’s resolutions than those who do not make them. The University of Scranton’s 2002 research, known in the scientific community as the study on the efficacy of New Year’s resolutions, found a surprising truth: even though more than half of new year’s goals are abandoned within the first 1-2 weeks, there is still 46 % of people who achieve beneficial adjustments to their objectives after making new year’s promises. This demonstrates that changing is always preferable to refusing to alter anything.
7. Setting more difficult goals result in achieving more, and getting feedback is a great motivator to achieve your goal. In a study to evaluate the effectiveness of home energy reduction efforts, 80 families determined objectives to decrease their energy use. Half of them made a problematic objective, and half made an easy one. Half of the families were given feedback on how much energy they had saved three times each week. The families who were given the most challenging task conserved the most energy. Families assigned a straightforward objective did not save significantly more energy than those who didn’t set any goals. Those who were given feedback were far more driven to achieve their objectives. This research shows us that the more we try to reach our objectives, the more we will accomplish. Receiving feedback as we go helps us to achieve those more ambitious objectives.
8. Goal setting has been proven to have a statistically significant impact on behavior in many studies Four databases were used to investigate the beneficial impact of goal-setting on individual activities. It was discovered that it is most successful when the goal is challenging, public accountability is involved, and concerns a group. This study also demonstrates that goal-setting can encourage us to modify our actions following the completion of our objectives. If you’re a procrastinator, you’ll almost certainly alter your behavior once you start planning your success through goal-setting.
9. When it comes to goal purposes, those who have a deeper understanding of them have a better chance of achieving their objectives. The researchers found that participants who understood why goals are important were more likely to achieve them. Indeed, if you understand the “why’s” behind your objectives, you will have a more incredible feeling of purpose in everything you must accomplish to achieve success.
10. Setting goals keeps you persistent in business success, according to a study. In a recent study completed by the University of Texas, it was discovered that entrepreneurs were persistent in their business efforts, even when they kept striving to reach objectives. The business owner’s ability to complete objectives increased when goals were broken down into smaller components.
11. According to a survey by Accenture Consulting, 14% of individuals have written goals but no actual plans. A survey of Harvard MBA candidates revealed that 13% had defined goals. However, they did not create any concrete strategy for carrying out their objectives.
12. Only 3% of individuals have made written plans and goals for their future. The final group prepared goals and made a clear plan. Here are seven phases of planning and achieving your objectives in life.
13. People who have a purpose are more likely to achieve it. Set goals without a plan and set them down on paper after ten years; 13% of pupils had achieved more, compared to 84% of pupils who did not write their objectives down.
14. Only 3% of individuals who create written objectives with specific strategies accomplish ten times more than those who don’t. Students who received less than their full potential were 3% of the class, yet they achieved ten times more than the other 97 %.
15. Most Americans do not make new year’s resolutions, with only 41% of individuals in the United States making them. Now it’s time to look at some startling statistics about New Year resolutions and goal-setting in the United States. According to a survey conducted in 2016, 41% of Americans make new year resolutions.
16. 25% of individuals who start New Year’s resolutions abandon them within a week, according to research. At the end of the first week of the new year, at least 25% of Americans have given up their New Year’s Resolutions. By the end of the second week, it has fallen to 71%.
17. Only 9% of those who make New Year’s Resolutions successfully achieve their objectives. Even though their numbers have decreased, 9% of participants said they successfully kept their goals throughout the year. Why is this? The explanation is simple: it all comes down to how you plan and establish your new year’s resolution in the first place.
18. According to the New Year’s resolution tracker, only 35% of individuals achieve their objectives in January because they set unattainable goals. Participants in another study done in 2014 felt that their goals were unsustainable.
19. According to researchers, New Year’s Resolutions are 10% more likely to be kept if made by those who have not taken a vow. According to an old study published in 2002 by the University of Scranton, New Year’s resolutions are effective. According to the research, over 46 % of those who made promises were at least 10% more successful in attaining their objectives at the end of the year.
20. Setting ambitious goals can help you improve more in life. Becker Lawrence J conducted a study in 1978 on the combined impact of goal setting and feedback on residential energy conservation performance. According to the findings, the families who set challenging goals conserved more than other participants.
21. Clear and specific goal setting boosts workplace motivation. According to studies conducted by Arvey, Dewhirst, and Boling in 1976, employees with clear and precise goals were more determined.
22. Those who understand the goal’s purpose are more likely to achieve them. The researchers discovered that participants who recognized the importance of goal setting were more successful at achieving their objectives in a study of 41 female typists.
23. Despite the barriers, 90% of people are likely to improve their performance if goals are reachable and pertinent. In 1981, Lock, Shaw, Saari, and Latham released a paper about goal setting and task success. The research was done between 1969 and 1980. Employers established challenging yet reachable goals for employees with talent. It was discovered that people with abilities who had these expectations performed better than those who didn’t.

What research studies say about goal setting statistics

The research studies for goal setting statistics on achieving goals are unquestionable, mainly when they address topic-related data with greater understanding of critical facts.

With these fascinating facts and writing down goals statistics in mind, I hope you may finally put your concerns regarding goal-setting task performance and goal achievement to rest.

Of course, your company’s and life’s future is dependent on your ideas, so why not put them down in writing and start mapping your own success story.

Setting goals is a massive area of interest for me, and I have several more articles and good videos to assist you in reaching your financial goals, so stay with us to see what else I can do for you by visiting the links below.

Conclusion

By the end of the year, 92% of people who’ve set New Year’s resolutions will have failed to achieve their goals.

While only 3% of individuals write down their goals for their future, only 1% write them down write them down once. Less than 5% rewrite their goals everyday.

Now, if you look at wealth statistics globally, you may find that  there were only 3,194 billionaires worldwide in 2022.

There is a clear correlation between being self disciplined and doing your daily homework and success in any area of life.

Related:

10 Major differences between Goals vs dreams

What are business goals

Faqs

What percentage of people write down their goals?

Numerous research studies show that only three percent of the population set goals. Only one percent actually write their goals down. A recent study conducted by the 3M Company reported in their goal setting statistics that fewer than 20 percent of people have their goals in written form.

Writing down goals statistics Harvard

According to a Harvard Business study (writing down goals statistics Harvard University), setting objectives and attaining success are both linked. According to their research on goal setting statistics, those who have written goals are 10x times more successful in achieving goals than those who do not.

There is a three-fold difference in goal success rates between the 3% who have written goals and the 14% who only have their goals in their mind.

What are the statistics on goal setting?

According to a survey on writing down goals statistics, 83% of respondents don’t have goals, 14% had plans but not in writing, and only 3% had written goals. However, research has shown that those who wrote their goals down are 42% more likely to achieve them.

Is writing down your goals a factor in success and why?

If you want a higher chance of success, 1.4 times to be exact, then write down your goals. By seeing them displayed in front of you, it becomes easier to achieve what you set out to do. Who wouldn’t want an extra 42% chance of succeeding?

What percentage of goals are achieved when written down?

Some writing down goals statistics confirm that people who write their goals down are more likely to achieve them than those who don’t. The studies conclude that anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of people who have written achieve their goals achieve them, while only 10 percent of people who are not writing down their goals down achieve them.

It’s unclear exactly why writing your goals down makes such a big difference. One theory is that the process of writing helps you to better clarify your goals and what you need to do to achieve them. Another possibility is that seeing your goals in writing makes them feel more real and attainable, prompting you to take action.

What are writing down goals statistics?

Writing down goals statistics are based on facts and numbers to help us understand writing specific and challenging goals more. It can be helpful to look at the success rates of people who set and achieve goals by writing their goals on paper. The average person has a success rate of about 3 percent when it comes to writing goals. This means that out of 100 people, only three will succeed in achieving their writing goals.

Why are written goals more powerful?

Writing down your goals is more powerful because:

• You are more likely to achieve them.
• They become more real and tangible.
• You have a plan to follow.
• It holds you accountable.
• You can track yourself with weekly progress reports

No matter what the reason for your goal setting purposes, there’s no denying that writing down your goals is a key step in achieving them.

 

Goal setting statistics for this article were gathered from the following sources: 

•  Gail Matthews, Harvard Goals Research
• FullFocus
• Management 30
• Psycnet
• Leadership IQ
• Visualizing goals financial success
• Harvard Business Review Odds of achieving your goals
• PubMed