How a 5-Minute Weekly Check-In Saves Your Goals From Fading
This post is part of The Goal-Getter Series—practical insights and simple strategies to help you stop spinning, stay focused, and actually finish what you start.
We’re covering the five biggest reasons we don’t achieve our goals – AND what to do about it. So far, we’ve explored:
Reason #1: Too Many Goals, Not Enough Time
Reason #2: The Goal Isn’t Clear or Compelling Enough
Reason #3: No Real Plan
Today, we’ll consider the importance of regular review.
When Your Goals Start to Drift
We’ve all been there. We start a new goal with a spark of energy and a shiny new plan. But somewhere between real life and all the other things competing for our attention, that plan quietly drifts out of sight—and out of mind.
I know this because it’s me, too.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that there’s a work project I’ve been trying to accomplish for at least 18 months. Part of the reason I haven’t is that it was one of too many goals (see Reason #1). Another reason? I didn’t have a real plan. I hadn’t mapped out the action steps or built in timelines (see Reason #3).
This quarter, though, I’m more committed. I’ve made it a major goal. I’ve mapped out the steps. But here’s the honest truth: the first few weeks of the quarter have been busier than I expected, and I haven’t made time to review my plan. I can already feel myself slipping behind—and feeling less motivated because of it.
So later today, I’m taking my own good advice. I’m sitting down to review (and edit!) my plan.
Because if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: if you’re not looking at the plan, you’re not living the plan.
And the good news? Keeping your goals alive doesn’t take hours of reflection—it just takes five intentional minutes.
Why Weekly Goal Check-Ins Actually Work
Here’s the thing about goals: they’re living things. Life changes. Priorities shift. And if we don’t check in, our goals quietly wander off course while we’re busy keeping up with everything else.
Our goals or projects tend to be things we’re doing in addition to the regular busyness of life and work. It can be hard to stay committed to this desire for “more” when the regular responsibilities take up so much bandwidth.
Neglected goals rarely grow. Reviewed goals, though? They stay alive, aligned, and adaptable.
A weekly review isn’t just about remembering what you said you’d do, and it’s definitely not about inducing guilt. It’s about noticing what’s working, what’s changed, and what needs your attention next. It’s also the simplest form of self-accountability. When we stop to check in, we give ourselves a chance to course-correct before we drift too far off track.
And while this isn’t a blog about time management, I can’t separate the two. Reviewing goals isn’t just about knowing what to do—it’s about making time to do it. When we review weekly, we can see what actions need attention and estimate how much time they’ll take. Then we can set what I call a Project Block—protected time on our calendar to actually work on the goal.
Because let’s be honest: without time on the calendar, that goal will not move forward. Period.
So yes, this habit helps us refocus, but it also helps us reclaim control of our time—on purpose.
For your reflection: When was the last time I checked in with a goal I set months ago? How aligned am I now with what I said mattered then?
The Friday Five: 5 Minutes to Keep Your Goals Alive
My favorite way to do this is what I call The Friday Five—a five-minute check-in that helps me keep my goals growing and going. I think of it like taking my goal on regular D.A.T.E.S.—a few intentional minutes together to reconnect and refocus.
Here’s how it works:
D – Done
What did you accomplish this week? Celebrate it! Even small progress counts. Momentum builds when we take time to notice what’s moving forward.
A – Adjust
What’s changed since last week? What needs to be added, deleted, or redefined? Life moves fast; this is your chance to realign your plan with your current reality.
T – To-Do Next
What’s the very next action step? Keep it small, specific, and doable—something you can actually accomplish this week.
E – Enter It in Your Calendar
Here’s where reflection meets reality. Once you know what’s next, block time for it. Estimate how long it’ll take and schedule a Project Block in your calendar. Without that protected time, even the best-laid plan stalls. With it, even slow progress becomes steady progress.
S – Spot Risks or Roadblocks
What could derail this? Where do you need extra support, flexibility, or grace? Noticing those things now keeps you from being surprised later.
That’s it—five questions in five minutes.
How I Do My Friday Five
My own ritual is flexible—because, well… life.
If I can, I prefer to spend five to ten minutes on Friday afternoon reviewing the past week, checking in on my goals, and sketching out what’s next. Then I revisit that plan on Sunday to flesh out the week more fully. Sometimes, it works better for my schedule to just do it all on Sunday.
And sometimes, like this week when I came home from a trip and didn’t feel like reviewing anything, I skip it altogether. I tell myself I’m giving myself a break—but the next morning, I always regret it.
Even five or ten minutes of intentional review makes a world of difference. Turns out, skipping my weekly review didn’t buy me more rest—it just cost me more peace.
The Ripple Effect: How Small Reviews Build Big Progress
This small habit changes everything.
When you review regularly, you start to see patterns. You notice what’s working and what’s not. You catch yourself before you get too far off course. You build trust with yourself—because you’re keeping your word to yourself.
Over time, this practice transforms goal-setting into goal-tending. You’re not just chasing outcomes—you’re cultivating growth.
And yes, you know I love a good play on words – especially when it conveys powerful truth, so here’s a way to summarize the impact of this habit: Review weekly—or achieve weakly.
It’s not about being rigid; it’s about staying rooted in what matters.
Keep Your Goals Alive
Five minutes. That’s all it takes to reconnect with what you’re working toward and why it matters.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about paying attention.
So here’s your gentle challenge for the week:
When this week will I take five minutes to check in with my goal?
Even five minutes of reflection—and one small block on the calendar—can breathe life back into a goal that’s starting to fade.
Stay tuned for next week’s post in The Goal-Getter Series, where we’ll explore how to work through the mindset blocks and internal resistance that sometimes stand in our way.
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