Habits & desk health
Goal progress calculator
Enter your starting value, where you are now, the target and the deadline; see how far along you are and whether your pace is enough.
Works for goals that go down too, such as paying off debt or losing weight: just enter a target lower than the start.
How goal progress and pace are calculated
Percent complete is the distance covered divided by the total distance: (current − start) ÷ (target − start) × 100. It is then compared with the share of time used, the days since the start date divided by the days from start to deadline. If your progress percentage is at least as high as the time percentage, you are on track. The pace needed is the amount still to go divided by the days left, and per week it is that times seven.
Example: saving towards 100 from 0, you are at 35 after 30 of 90 days. That is 35% complete with 33% of the time used, so you are slightly ahead. There are 65 left over 60 days, which needs 1.08 a day or 7.58 a week. Your pace so far is 35 ÷ 30 = 1.17 a day, which would get you there in about 56 days, before the deadline.
| Goal | Start → now → target | Time used | Complete | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savings | 0 → 1,200 → 3,000 | 50% | 40% | Behind |
| Running distance (km/week) | 10 → 18 → 25 | 40% | 53% | On track |
| Debt left | 8,000 → 5,000 → 0 | 25% | 38% | On track |
| Book pages | 0 → 90 → 400 | 30% | 23% | Behind |
Reading the result and adjusting
The on-track test assumes steady progress, which suits goals like savings, pages read or kilometres run. Some goals naturally start slow and speed up, for example learning a skill or growing an audience, so being a little behind in the first quarter is normal. Others start fast and slow down, such as weight loss, so being ahead early does not mean you can relax.
The most useful number is usually needed per week: it turns a distant deadline into something you can plan this week. If it is far above your pace so far, you have three honest choices: increase effort, move the deadline, or lower the target. Deciding early is far easier than discovering in the last week that the gap is impossible.
Update the current value on a fixed day each week. Checking daily makes normal ups and downs look like trends, while checking monthly leaves too little time to react.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the percentage of a goal completed?
Subtract the starting value from the current value and divide by the target minus the starting value, then multiply by 100. Going from 20 to 50 on the way to 80 is (50 − 20) ÷ (80 − 20) = 50% complete.
How do I know if I am on track to reach my goal?
Compare the percentage of the goal done with the percentage of the time that has passed. If 40% of the time is gone and you are 45% of the way there, you are on track.
Does it work for goals where the number goes down?
Yes. Enter a target below the starting value, for example debt from 8,000 down to 0. Progress is measured as the share of the reduction already achieved.