15 Best Books on Goal-Setting

Goal setting is a powerful tool in coaching and counseling to increase motivation, focus, and self-confidence.

While helping foster a valuable relationship with the client, it also clarifies what a successful outcome looks like (Ardito & Rabellino, 2011).

Most mental health professionals work with their clients as equal partners, identifying, setting, and developing goals and agreeing on the actions to achieve them (DeAngelis, 2019).

Whether seeking help or not, goals are essential for all of us to ensure we have the resources to create the life we wish to lead.

In this article, we identify several of our favorite books for setting goals that support wellbeing and performance in coaching, counseling, education, and more generalized settings.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our five positive psychology tools for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients create actionable goals and master techniques to create lasting behavior change.

7 Best Books on Goal Setting to Read

While setting goals is not always easy, it is a vital aspect of coaching and counseling. Doing so “reveals the clarity of your thinking, namely, your ability to conceptualize and understand the complex interplay between your client’s presenting problem, personal dynamics, relational dynamics, and manifest psychiatric symptoms” (Gehart, 2016, p. 24).

Having reviewed many of the best books on goal setting, we have chosen the following selection as a mixture of science-based and anecdotal learnings that offer insight into the goal-setting process and guidance to ensure success.

1. How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters – Michael Bungay Stanier

Bestselling author Michael Bungay Stanier has written an insightful, motivating, and humorous book for individuals and coaches supporting clients to get ready to work on the hard things in life.

It’s a practical guide to identify and set clearly defined goals and make commitments while developing the resources and building the momentum to reach them.

Ultimately, Stanier offers a helpful and guiding hand for those of us who need the support – or push – to reach big goals and transform our lives.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months – Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

In this book, Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington argue that the traditional 12-month planning cycle is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving meaningful goals.

The answer? Reduce the length of your “year” to just 12 weeks to generate the urgency and focus that most people only experience in the last few weeks of December.

Based on a framework developed in sports performance and honed through years of consulting, the book guides readers through developing a compelling vision, creating a 12-week plan, and monitoring execution with weekly scorecards.

It’s a useful resource for coaches, professionals, and anyone who wants to stop planning and start achieving.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide – Caroline Adams Miller and Michael Frisch

Caroline Miller and Michael Frisch seamlessly combine the potential and power of positive psychology and the science of goal accomplishment.

The result is a book that interleaves life fulfillment, happiness, and success through setting and working toward brave goals in 16 life domains.

Case studies help define challenges, while evidence-based tools and strategies form a playbook for positively changing our lives.

Find the book on Amazon.

4. The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results – Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

Here, Gary Keller, co-founder of one of the world’s largest real estate companies, and co-author Jay Papasan present a deceptively simple premise: extraordinary results come from focusing on the one most important thing you can do, not from doing more.

The book provides a useful framework for figuring out the one action that has a domino effect on all aspects of life. Its main focusing question — What can you do now to make everything else easier or unnecessary? — has grown to be a popular tool for daily prioritization and goal-setting.

One of the most popular books on focus and goals, it has been translated into 41 languages and sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

Find the book on Amazon.

5. Be Your Future Self Now: The Science of Intentional Transformation – Benjamin Hardy

Unlike most goal-setting books, which focus on systems and tactics, Be Your Future Self Now takes an identity-based approach: Dr. Benjamin Hardy, an organizational psychologist, contends that our vision of our future self drives everything we do and that the quality of our goals is solely dependent on how clearly we can envision our future self.

Hardy provides readers with a method to bridge the gap between their current selves and their future selves by using psychology research to demonstrate how moving from reactive, short-term goals to proactive, purpose-driven ones is the route to both success and long-lasting fulfillment.

Endorsed by Tony Robbins and praised by readers for its practical clarity, this is a particularly powerful read for anyone who has set goals and followed through, yet still felt that something was missing.

Find the book on Amazon.

6. Your Best Year Ever – Michael Hyatt

Michael Hyatt offers a research-driven system for setting and working toward your goals to reach your full potential.

The book begins with an assessment of where the reader currently is according to 10 life domains. Next, a five-step approach explores limiting beliefs, reviewing and learning from the past, defining SMARTER goals, understanding key motivators, and breaking big goals into manageable steps.

Hyatt practically explores and explains how to move from where we are now to where we want to get to through a series of logical and practical steps.

Find the book on Amazon.

7. Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War – David Goggins

While better known for his memoir, Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins explores his strategies and actionable steps for using the power of the mind to reach what we may think is unachievable in this book.

Undoubtedly, much of the impact of this book comes from Goggins’s incredible story of overcoming a troubled childhood to become an elite US Navy Seal and record-breaking endurance athlete.

This inspiring book will connect with many who face challenges because of a complicated past and an uncertain future. Ultimately, it is a story of hope toward achieving life’s goals and optimism about better things to come.

Find the book on Amazon.

4 Top Goal Setting Workbooks

Research suggests that goals should be specific, important to the individual, collaborative, and perhaps most importantly, realistic. They either support achieving a definite outcome, overcoming an obstacle, or enhancing particular skills for future wellness and performance (Knox & Cooper, 2015; Nelson-Jones, 2014).

The following books offer four very different guides for identifying, setting, and working toward goals, along with helpful questions and exercises throughout.

1. Coaching for Performance: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership – Sir John Whitmore

The 25th edition of this international bestselling classic remains as relevant and valuable as ever. While exploring the theory of effective coaching, it also provides a workbook for the practical results-driven coach.

Whitmore’s updated text targets coaches, leaders, and professionals, highlighting the incredible potential for goal-directed coaching to transform organizations and individuals.

The power of the GROW (goals, reality, options, and will) model resides in its insightful, far-reaching, and unambiguous questioning. As a framework, it remains flexible and ensures that the individual owns their life changes. And as a workbook, it encourages readers to set and revisit clearly defined goals as their understanding evolves and the environment changes.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. Goal Setting: The Ultimate Guide to Achieving Goals That Truly Excite You – Thibaut Meurisse

This is a popular, helpful, and easy-to-follow workbook for setting SMART goals that help maximize the reader’s potential through creating a clear vision for their future.

Whether making simple changes, such as healthy eating, or more extensive transformations, like embarking on a new career, Meurisse’s book makes goal setting and planning straightforward and manageable, and success ultimately achievable.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time – Brian Tracy

In the next book from training and development expert Brian Tracy, we learn how to stop procrastinating and get the important things done – on time and effectively.

Tracy labels negative emotions as “frogs,” stopping us from reaching our potential and achieving our goals. On the other hand, “princes” are positive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that keep us on the right path and move us toward our desired destination.

With many valuable insights into successful time management techniques, the reader will learn to maintain their focus and determination and apply pressure on themselves to complete each critical task on time.

Find the book on Amazon.

4. The 12 Week Year Field Guide: Get More Done In 12 Weeks Than Others Do In 12 Months – Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

The 12 Week Year Field Guide is the hands-on companion to the bestselling The 12 Week Year. It has all the templates, exercises, and scorecards you need to put the system into action.

The original book explains the philosophy, but this workbook is where the real work happens. It helps readers create a vision, plan for 12 weeks, and keep track of their progress each week.

It is meant to be used over and over again in different cycles, so it is just as useful for getting started as it is for ongoing practice.

Find the book on Amazon.

A Recommended Goal Book for Students

Educational psychologists recognize the potential of goal setting for motivating, energizing, and focusing the attention of learning in students. In fact, “goals motivate people to act in order to reduce the discrepancy between ‘where they are’ and ‘where they want to be’” (Woolfolk, 2021, p. 497).

The following book is recommended for students and educators.

Step Into Student Goal Setting: A Path to Growth, Motivation, and Agency – Chase Nordengren

While also aimed at educational professionals working with students of all ages, this is a powerful and vital guide for the college student, undergraduate, and postgraduate wishing to build and implement actionable strategies to drive their development and work toward academic goals.

Through vignettes, theory, and practical exercises, Chase Nordengren helps students and teachers learn the importance and the practice of effective goal setting inside and outside the classroom.

This is a vital read to help students achieve their potential through learning how to engage and enjoy the hard work of learning while practicing empowering educational habits and roles.

Find the book on Amazon.

Notebooks and Journals to Aid in the Goal-Setting Process

Setting goals clearly and visibly and capturing their progress can help maintain momentum and provide a visual record of the journey toward success (Clough et al., 2021).

The following notebooks and journals offer a place to capture and review goals and progress toward them.

1. The 100-Day Goal Journal: Accomplish What Matters to You – John Lee Dumas

This is a motivational journal for students, employees, and business owners to set and work toward goals while staying accountable, focused, and on track.

Daily action plans ensure that behavior and resources are directed with an end goal in mind and are valuable for reflecting on progress to maintain enthusiasm and optimism toward future success.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. Panda Planner Pro – Michael Leip

The Panda Planner Pro is a scientifically designed daily planner created by Michael Leip, who developed the system while recovering from serious illness and draws on research from positive psychology and neuroscience.

It has a six-month, undated format that helps users keep track of their daily gratitude, top priorities, and evening reflection. It also has weekly and monthly sections that help users set goals for work, family, relationships, and personal growth.

The planner has more than 8,000 reviews and a money-back guarantee, making it one of the most trusted goal-setting planners for people who want to be happier and more productive.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. Big Life Journal: Daily Edition for Kids – Big Life Journal Store

This beautifully designed and colorful journal supports goal setting by focusing on self-loving thoughts, resilience, and emotional health.

Children aged 6 to 11 are provided with a safe space to capture and reflect on their day and the opportunity to build upon their emotional understanding of themselves and their world.

Developing such personal insight and building a growth mindset will prepare them for future obstacles and opportunities, taking both in their stride.

Find the book on Amazon.

Relevant Resources From PositivePsychology.com

We have many resources available for individuals, groups, counselors, and coaches wishing to set powerful, motivating goals.

Our free resources include:

• Personal Development Plan – Ideal Self
  Define a personal vision for the future, identify current and future states, and set SMART goals to realize a successful outcome.
• How to Create a Personal Development Plan, is another article that provides useful examples and steps.
• Values and Goals
  This exercise helps clients work toward goals in line with their values and identify obstacles that might get in their way.

More extensive versions of the following tools are available with a subscription to the Positive Psychology Toolkit©, but they are described briefly below:

• Goal Realization Using the WDEP System
  In this exercise, clients define their wants and how to achieve them using the WDEP system.

Answer the following questions to dig deeper into transformation goals:

• • Wants – What do you want instead of the problem?
  • Doing – What are you doing? (acting, thinking, feeling)
  • Evaluate – Is what you are doing helping you get what you want?
  • Plan – What/How are you prepared to do/think differently?
• Self-contract
  Committing to goals is a vital aspect of personal transformation. A self-contract creates an explicit agreement to making plans and working toward expectations to ensure behavioral change happens.
  • Set a specific goal. Commit in writing to achieve a clearly stated goal by a definite date.
  • Explain your motive. Briefly note why this goal is crucial for your personal growth.
  • Sign the contract. Formalize your commitment with your signature.
  • Reward your success. Choose a celebration or reward for reaching your goal.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others reach their goals, check out this collection of 17 validated motivation & goal achievement tools for practitioners. Use them to help others turn their dreams into reality by applying the latest science-based behavioral change techniques.

A Take-Home Message

“Setting goals is the first step to accomplishing anything meaningful” (Duncan, 2023, para. 1). It is not always easy; it requires ownership, focus, and hard work.

Goal setting is a vital tool that bridges where we are with where we want to be and assures our personal and professional growth.

The collection of books in this article offers many helpful strategies, insights, and methodologies for setting and working toward our short-term and life goals.

From Michael Bungay Stanier’s practical guide to David Goggins’s inspiring and extraordinary life journey, a wealth of knowledge is available to energize and guide readers in goal setting and realization.

In addition, workbooks such as Coaching for Performance and Eat That Frog! also offer helpful approaches and tools to ingrain these principles into our clients’ daily lives.

Individually and taken together, the books are particularly valuable for coaches and counselors supporting clients in creating a meaningful, value-driven life.

When embraced by mental health professionals, such tools and strategies help clients dream, act, adapt, and achieve more out of life, creating solid pathways toward aspirations.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our five positive psychology tools for free.

Ed: Updated April 2026