How to track progress without a spreadsheet obsession

Keeping track of your progress helps you reach your goals, especially when you share it with someone. But tracking can also turn into a hobby of its own, with colour-coded spreadsheets and no actual running. Here’s how to keep it useful and light.

Track the right thing

Track what you do, not just results

Results are slow and partly out of your control. Actions are yours. Track “three runs this week”, not only “5 km time”. Track “two hours on the business plan”, not only “funding secured”.

Pick one or two numbers

One main action and maybe one result. If you track seven things, you’ll stop tracking all of them by week three.

Have a weekly minimum

The smallest amount that still counts as a good week. On bad weeks, hitting the minimum keeps the streak alive. On good weeks you’ll do more anyway.

Keep it simple

• A tick on a paper calendar on the fridge.
• One line in your phone’s notes app per day.
• Our printable 12-week progress tracker (download below).

Whatever you choose, it should take less than a minute a day.

Share it at your check-in

Bring your tracker to your weekly check-in. “I did 2 of my 3 runs” is a much better conversation starter than “yeah, it was okay”. And after a few weeks, looking back at a page full of ticks is one of the best motivation boosts there is.