In the words of Tony Stark, I’m working on something big. Now, as much as I wish it were a rocket-powered super suit, as it turns out, I don’t have a Mega Degree in Engineering, Computer Programming, Artificial Intelligence, and Awesome Weapons. All of which Tony Stark had at age six, apparently.

So, I’ll have to settle for this project. Except, I’m not quite ready to post about it yet. So, in lieu of an actual update, I thought I’d share something that has absolutely nothing to do with movies, animation, technology, and only a little to do with software.

Joe’s Goals.

The short version, Joe’s Goals is a simple, no-install, point and click and free method for keeping track of long term goals. And being web-based, you can keep up with it from anywhere. The only thing I’d add is some more options for keeping track of things on the go, from say you’re mobile phone. However, Joe’s Goals is aiming for simplicity and ease of use, so this works well.

For the record, I am one of the most unmotivated, unorganized guys you’ve met. Probably. I have this nasty habit of meaning to do things, but then forgetting about them. For one-off, do ‘em and done projects, a simple to-do list (like the one in Gmail) works great as a reminder. But what about something more regular?

For example, a couple months ago, I found out about a site that helps you learn Spanish. Well, a bunch of languages, really, but Spanish for one. It’s great and I could tell you more about it, but one site at a time. I decided to give it a shot, but it will certainly take a while. In the meantime, I’m still trying to develop myself in the area of animation. Which is a bit more important to what I want to do in life. Not to mention, I’m subscribed to over 30 blogs, so I’m not short on distractions. Eventually, something’s gonna want my attention, and before you know it, learning spanish is just another one of those lost causes.

Joe’s Goals serves as a reminder, a way to visually track, quickly and simply, the things I need to do regularly. And the interface is simple. The home page has a (mostly) working example to get a feel for how it goes. Once you set up your account, simply select “Add Goal” in the top corner of your page, name it, select what days you’re supposed to do this task, and away you go!

Another feature I’ve just recently discovered is the Logbook, which honestly, was one of the other things I wanted in this tracker. The Logbook feature allows you to add categories for notes. For example, one of my goals is to add a new Spanish word to a list of vocabulary I have to test myself (taken from LearnitLists.com). Adding a logbook to the bottom helps me keep track of which word I picked to focus on.

Overall, Joe’s Goals is really handy in helping you stay accountable to yourself. But it’s just a tool. In real life, if you had a serious problem, you’d go to a friend because a friend can be invasive, ask you questions without letting you take the initiative. For Joe’s Goals to be any kind of effective, you need to make it invasive. Keep Joe in your face.

I’ve set up Joe’s Goals to be one of three tabs I always keep open. Facebook is one (mostly for the chat), Gmail for another (with everything that entails). And thirdly, Joe’s Goals. I keep Joe’s Goals right between the two others, so it’s always in the way. If you’re not online as much as I am (and really, it would be good for you), try setting Joe’s Goals as your (or one of your) homepage(s).

If you’re not the type of person to get online frequently, I have found in the past that sometimes, this same setup written on a piece of paper helps. Maybe take a post-it note and stick it on your bedroom door, with a hand-drawn grid.

The point is reminders. And for the regularly online-types, Joe’s Goals is a great reminder.