diff --git a/dev/README.md b/dev/README.md
index 1cf7e02..582ff4a 100644
--- a/dev/README.md
+++ b/dev/README.md
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ This directory contains my personal collection of skills for software developmen
 For general development practices and minimalist coding, see [ponytail](https://github.com/DietrichGebert/ponytail).
 
 For GitLab operations, use the [GitLab skills](https://github.com/gaodes/pi-gitlab/tree/main/skills) from @gaodes/pi-gitlab/skills/.
+
+For persistent, evidence-based goal tracking across sessions, see [goal-state](goal-state/SKILL.md).
diff --git a/dev/goal-state/SKILL.md b/dev/goal-state/SKILL.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..966e027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/goal-state/SKILL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+---
+name: goal-state
+description: Persistent, evidence-based goal tracking for long or multi-session work via a goal-state.yaml file in the project. Use when the user says "goal", "/goal", "setze ein Ziel", "track this as a goal", wants ordered step-by-step execution with done criteria (Sisyphus mode), or when a goal-state.yaml already exists. Works headless (pi-web) — file-based, no dialogs or TUI needed.
+---
+
+# Goal State
+
+Track a goal in `goal-state.yaml` in the project root. The file is the single source of truth: it survives sessions, compaction, and crashes. Every claim of progress needs recorded evidence.
+
+## The state file
+
+```yaml
+version: 1
+status: active            # active | paused | complete | cancelled
+mode: ordered             # ordered | flexible
+objective: >
+  One-sentence outcome.
+requirements:             # the goal is only complete when ALL are met
+  - id: R1
+    text: Verifiable completion requirement.
+    met: false
+    evidence: ""          # how it was verified (command, output, file path)
+steps:
+  - id: S1
+    text: What to do.
+    done_when: How to verify this step is done.
+    status: pending       # pending | in_progress | done | skipped
+    evidence: ""
+next: S1                  # ordered mode only: the one step to work on
+log:                      # newest last, keep at most 20 entries
+  - "2026-01-15T10:00Z goal created"
+```
+
+- **ordered** (Sisyphus): steps are executed strictly in order, one at a time. `next` names the only step that may be worked on.
+- **flexible**: steps may be done in any order; requirements still gate completion.
+
+## Starting a goal
+
+1. Discuss the objective. Derive **requirements** — each must be independently verifiable (test suite passes, file exists, report contains section X, command exits 0).
+2. For ordered mode, break the work into numbered steps, each with a concrete `done_when`. For flexible mode, steps are optional — requirements alone are fine for small goals.
+3. Show the proposed file to the user and **wait for confirmation**. Then write `goal-state.yaml` and log the creation.
+
+Shortcut: if the user gives a complete objective with explicit steps, propose immediately without a long discussion.
+
+## Working on a goal
+
+1. Read `goal-state.yaml` before doing anything else.
+2. **Ordered:** set the `next` step to `in_progress`, do it, verify its `done_when`. **Flexible:** pick any pending step.
+3. Record evidence and set `status: done`, advance `next`, append a log line — **write the file immediately after each step** (crash safety).
+4. Blocked? Set `status: paused` with the reason in the log and tell the user what is needed.
+5. If the project uses the dev-workflow, each step gets its own commit, per that workflow.
+
+## Evidence rules
+
+- `met: true` / `status: done` **only with evidence recorded**: the command that was run and its result, a file path, or a test name. "I am confident" is not evidence.
+- When unsure whether something still holds, re-run the verification instead of trusting the file.
+- Evidence from earlier sessions counts only if the file records it.
+
+## Resuming
+
+- If a session starts (or the skill is loaded) and `goal-state.yaml` has `status: active`, give a two-line status (objective, next step) and continue with `next` — ask only if the situation is ambiguous.
+- `goal status` → print a compact view from the file: status, requirements (met/unmet), steps (done/pending), next step. No narration beyond that.
+
+## Completing, changing, cancelling
+
+- **Complete:** only when every requirement has `met: true` with evidence. Set `status: complete`, log it, and report a summary of objective + evidence to the user. Suggest `mv goal-state.yaml goal-state-done-<date>.yaml` (or deletion).
+- **Change:** adjust steps/requirements, append a log entry describing what changed and why.
+- **Cancel:** set `status: cancelled`, keep the file unless the user wants it deleted.
+
+## Rules
+
+- One active goal per project.
+- Never skip steps in ordered mode; never work ahead of `next`.
+- Never claim completion without evidence in the file.
+- Write the file after every mutation — the file, not memory, is the progress.
+- Keep the file small: log capped at 20 entries, no prose beyond the objective.