Journaling is writing down thoughts or feelings as they happen in everyday life. Apart from writing, goal-setting journaling can be done electronically or visually. Journaling initially gained popularity as a self-care and self-development strategy, enabling one to regulate emotions and gain meaningful insight (Alt & Raichel, 2020). Journaling is also known for its mental health and psychotherapeutic benefits. The art of journaling has also been used for growth and professional success. It is one of the tools used to set, plan, and track goals. Journaling for goal setting and achievement has gained popularity in academic research and literature. This literature review explores the art of journaling and its benefits in goal setting and achievement, drawing insights from different literature materials.
Journaling has been extensively used for self-awareness and self-reflection, which are essential in developing goal-oriented behavior. Self-awareness involves introspection, recognizing emotional triggers, and understanding strengths, opportunities, beliefs, and values (Wurtz et al., 2022). Self-aware individuals desire growth, an essential aspect of goal setting. By becoming self-aware through journaling, individuals can set goals that align with their values and beliefs. Measuring progress through journaling helps track the growth process and, therefore, acts as a tool for motivation. Dr. Ira Progoff’s clients recorded improved psychological well-being and internal awareness after regularly writing their emotions in journals (Wurtz et al., 2022). Research on the importance of self-awareness journaling was also done among Canadian teachers, where changes in behavior and attitudes towards work and outside work were recorded (Nückles et al., 2020). Positive behavioral change provides a sense of accomplishment and motivation, enabling individuals to correct their mistakes as they learn about themselves positively.
Journaling for goal setting and achievement requires clarity, consistency, and positivity. When writing down goals, it is essential to focus on them in detail by identifying the urgency, importance, benefits, challenges, alignment with values, and the process of achieving the goal. Research shows that journaling can connect with inner thoughts and feelings, clarifying creative ways to deal with difficulties (Wurtz et al., 2022). This is evidenced by a study during the COVID-19 Pandemic whereby individuals journaled their harrowing experiences of dealing with loneliness and the pandemic (Wurtz et al., 2022). Journaling provides clarity of goals by allowing one to articulate their goals, making them tangible and achievable. According to a study by a psychology professor in California, writing down goals and creating a plan to achieve them increases the chances of success by 42% (Nückles et al., 2020). Writing down goals makes them clear only if they are specific, measurable, challenging, realistic, and time-specific. According to the goal-setting theory by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, specific and challenging goals lead to a higher level of performance than those that are easy and vague (Gkizani & Galanakis, 2022). In addition to providing goal clarity, individuals commit to their goals, thus developing focus and accountability. Writing down goals also makes one’s aspirations clear and enables one to prioritize tasks according to their importance.
Journaling gives the writer a voice and enables them to pen down their emotions, making it easier to face the challenges. Dr. Progoff, the father of journaling, uniquely devised journaling to enable people to make sense of their lives by expressing their emotions in writing (Wurtz et al., 2022). Goal pursuit and achievement can be overwhelming, with fears, doubts, and anxiety (Gkizani & Galanakis, 2022). A study on the importance of journaling for the management of mental illnesses indicated that journaling helps improve mental health when writing about emotions and stress (Sohal et al., 2022). It helps clear the mind, thus improving clarity on underlying issues and improving thinking. Another study on nurses on the importance of journaling revealed that journaling about emotionally upsetting clinical experiences improved clinical reasoning and enabled the revision of previously accumulated ideas and the accumulation of new information. By writing down emotions, journaling helps recognize triggers, provides an opportunity to learn how to control overwhelming emotions, and promotes positive thinking (Sohal et al., 2022). This helps to develop resilience and perseverance as one strives to achieve their goals.
Reflective journaling is essential for success and goal setting as it involves writing events and experiences just after they happen. By writing down the progress of already set goals and events, one can reflect and analyze the success or failure of each goal, develop strategies for change, and analyze threats and opportunities (Gkizani & Galanakis, 2022). Journaling, therefore, provides room for continued learning and adaptability to change through regular entries on goals, strategies, and experiences. Literature shows that reflective writing improves awareness of a situation and learning and problem-solving skills over time (Alt & Raichel, 2020). Reflective writing is an essential factor in fostering learning power. It enables one to connect their cognitive thinking with their emotions and feelings and how they act, thus bringing out the curiosity of learning. According to a study done on the Self-Regulation- Journal Writing Approach on the importance of writing-to-learn on students, it was found that journal writing improved learners’ cognitive load, making it easier for them to think critically (Nückles et al., 2020). The research study also found that applying thinking while writing improved learning behavior both in and outside school. The interactive process of reflection and adaptability in journaling improves personal growth in the journey of goal setting and achievement.
Journaling fosters accountability and commitment to one’s goals, thereby increasing the chances of success. Accountability is the art of being responsible for one’s actions towards oneself and others. Although journaling is a private entry, sharing one’s goals with trusted peers creates a social support system that helps one to be committed to one’s goals and have a sense of responsibility. Writing down goals also fosters commitment to goals in one’s mind by reinforcing their significance, thereby building a sense of accountability and strength to push through (Gkizani & Galanakis, 2022). Accountability journals enable individuals to be mindful of their actions during a particular period, making achieving the set goals easier. Individual accountability to one’s goals and achievements enables one to optimize performance by avoiding blame, procrastination, and self-victimization and to take appropriate action as needed. Studies show that developing accountability through writing increases the breakdown and evaluation of complex thoughts and attitudes, making it easy to express thoughts and process information (Gkizani & Galanakis, 2022). By writing down goals and achievements, individuals commit to making them achievable.
In conclusion, journaling is a beneficial tool that creates awareness of one’s position in life. Research shows that journaling for goal setting and achievement promotes self and goal awareness, improves clarity and focus, helps in emotional regulation, and empowers one to pursue their goals with greater intentionality. Goal setting is the first planning strategy for a successful future in a particular domain. Journaling can be done for various purposes and has positively improved outcomes. To achieve success in goal setting, the goals set must be measurable, achievable, and written with authenticity. Writing down emotions and feelings has been scientifically proven to improve mental health, reduce anxiety and stress, and improve the immune system. Journaling is an essential tool for setting goals in multiple areas of life.
References
Alt, D., & Raichel, N. (2020). Reflective journaling and metacognitive awareness: Insights from a longitudinal study in higher education. Reflective Practice, 21(2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2020.1716708
Gkizani, A. M., & Galanakis, M. (2022). Undefined. Psychology, 13(03), 420-426. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2022.133028
Nückles, M., Roelle, J., Glogger-Frey, I., Waldeyer, J., & Renkl, A. (2020). The self-regulation-View in writing-to-learn: Using journal writing to optimize cognitive load in self-regulated learning. Educational Psychology Review, 32(4), 1089-1126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09541-1
Sohal, M., Singh, P., Dhillon, B. S., & Gill, H. S. (2022). Efficacy of journaling in managing mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Family Medicine and Community Health, 10(1), e001154. https://doi.org/10.1136/fmch-2021-001154
Wurtz, H. M., Willen, S. S., & Mason, K. A. (2022). Introduction: Journaling and mental health during COVID-19: Insights from the pandemic journaling project. SSM – Mental Health, 2, 100141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100141
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