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This article was co-authored by Jessica Elliott, ACC, CEC and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Jessica Elliott is a Certified Executive Coach and multi-passionate entrepreneur. She's the founder of LIFETOX, where she hosts mindful experiences and retreats, and J Elliott Coaching, which she provides executive consulting for professionals, teams, and organizations. Jessica has had over fifteen years experience as an entrepreneur and over five years of executive coaching experience. She received her ACC (Associate Certified Coach) accreditation through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and her CEC (Certified Executive Coach) accreditation through Royal Roads University.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you’ve probably seen that people are making goal punch cards to achieve their New Year’s resolutions. These cards work the same way as any loyalty punch card you’d get from a restaurant—when you achieve a goal, you make a punch. When you finish a card, you get a reward. Keep reading as we explain how to make these cards and give you ideas for what goals to include.
What is a goal punch card?
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Goal punch cards are a new TikTok trend in which people make punch cards to achieve their goals. Whenever you complete a task, you punch the card. Once you’ve punched the whole card, you get a reward. It’s a way to stay motivated and build long-lasting habits!
Steps
How to Make Goal Punch Cards
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Decide on your goals. Like goal-related bingo cards, your goal punch cards should reflect goals you realistically want to achieve throughout the year. Take some time to reflect and generate a few ideas. You can make as many punch cards as you want. Just try to come up with ideas that are actually challenging to avoid completing all your cards within a week.[1]- Need some ideas? Check out our Goal Punch Card Ideas section below for some inspiration!
- For example, if you want to get in shape, you might want to challenge yourself to go to the gym three times a week. If you want to be more productive, arrange for some no-phone days so you don’t get distracted by social media.
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Come up with a reward for each goal. Every time you complete a punch card, give yourself a little treat! Like your goals, your rewards should be personal to you. For example, if your goal is to read more, reward yourself with a new book once you read a certain number of books you already own. Have fun with it!- If you prefer, choose a larger reward for a more challenging goal, such as a spa retreat or a solo trip. This way, you’ll really feel like all your hard work paid off.
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Write your goals on cardstock. Cardstock, index cards, or even watercolor paper will work; in general, you just want paper that’s thick enough to withstand any paint or other materials you plan to decorate with. Be sure to write small enough that you’ll have room to decorate your card with images to punch out!- If necessary, cut your paper down to size. Your punch cards can be any size you want, but many people prefer them to be about the size of an index card so they don’t take up too much space.
- If you’re not a fan of the handmade look, consider designing your cards digitally on a site like Canva. Canva has plenty of easy templates and cute designs, so you can choose your preferred background color and font.
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Draw different icons to punch out. Since you’re making a punch card, you need something to punch out! While you can use simple circles or squares to represent each goal on your card, many people prefer to get more creative. For example, if your goal is to drink 8 cups of water each day, you might draw 8 water bottles. Don’t stress about making things look perfect—just have fun with it![2]- Depending on the size of your punch cards, you probably won’t have a ton of room to make really elaborate drawings. Keep things simple!
- If you’re making digital cards, websites like Canva include lots of cute clipart drawings, so feel free to use those as your punches.
- Add as many punches as you want, but to keep things realistic, consider including about 8-10 punches per card.
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Decorate the background (optional). Feel free to further personalize your punch cards by customizing the background. Use markers, crayons, or even watercolor paint to make your cards look exactly how you want them. Add cute designs and doodles, or simply color the card.[3]- If you use paint, make sure your cards dry completely before using them.
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Punch out an icon every time you complete a goal. Your goal punch cards function just like real punch cards you get from stores and restaurants. Whenever you finish a task, use a single-hole punch to punch out one of the icons. Once the entire card has been punched, reward yourself with whatever treat you assigned to that card.[4]- If you don’t have a hole punch, another option is to cross out or fill in an icon when you complete it.
- Don’t stress about completing a card within a certain timeframe. The goal is to have fun, not punish yourself. Move at your own pace and focus on being consistent to build a lasting habit.
- If you want to keep all your punch cards together, punch a hole in the top left corner of each card, then tie them all together with a ribbon or piece of twine.
- Certified executive coach Jessica Elliott, ACC, CEC, says, “If you get six months down the line and your goal no longer feels right to you, change it. Edit it and make it serve you for that very moment.”[5]
Expert Q&A
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Tips
References
- ↑ https://dailydot.com/2026-punch-cards-tiktok
- ↑ https://dailydot.com/2026-punch-cards-tiktok
- ↑ https://dailydot.com/2026-punch-cards-tiktok
- ↑ https://dailydot.com/2026-punch-cards-tiktok
- ↑ Jessica Elliott, ACC, CEC. Certified Executive Coach. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://mashable.com/article/punch-cards-tiktok-goals-2026
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