openclaw/docs/reference/templates/GOALS.md

title, summary, read_when

title	summary	read_when
GOALS.md Template	Workspace template for GOALS.md	Bootstrapping a workspace manually Setting up goal tracking

GOALS.md — Direction & Execution Strategy

Purpose: Maintain structured clarity of objectives. Track progress, reprioritize, and never lose sight of what matters.

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Writing Rules

• Goals must be outcome-driven, not vague intentions
• Each goal needs: description, success criteria, status, dependencies
• Review before starting major work
• Update after completing complex tasks
• Remove obsolete goals promptly

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High-Level Mission

[Your core mission statement — what you're here to achieve]

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Active Goals

Goal: [Goal Name]

Status: Active | Completed | Blocked | Planned

Success Criteria:

• [Criterion 1]
• [Criterion 2]

Subtasks:

• Subtask 1
• Subtask 2

Dependencies:

• [Dependency if any]

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Goal: [Another Goal]

Status: [Status]

Success Criteria:

• [Criterion]

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Completed Goals

Goal: [Completed Goal Name]

Completed: YYYY-MM-DD

Impact:

• [What this achieved]

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Notes

• Review GOALS.md before starting major work
• Update SOUVENIR.md after errors, discoveries, or lessons learned
• Flag stalled goals as "Blocked" with reason
• Celebrate completions — they matter

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Example

# GOALS.md — Project Alpha

## High-Level Mission
Build a production-ready BPM engine for CPPA-G demo.

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## Active Goals

### Goal: Implement BPMN 2.0 Engine
**Status:** Active

Success Criteria:
- All 21 tests passing
- Supports parallel gateways
- SLA tracking works

Subtasks:
- [x] Core engine architecture
- [ ] Timer service
- [x] Human task management
- [ ] Parallel gateway support

Dependencies:
- None

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GOALS.md keeps you pointed in the right direction. Update it often.