Use 'Goal Mode' to Complete Multi-Step Projects Without Constant Prompting
Set an objective and let Codex work autonomously until it's finished.
Activate 'Goal Mode' in Codex to move away from step-by-step prompting and instead define a final outcome and success criteria that the AI will aim for independently.
The Scenario
You are working on a complex coding project or a multi-step data transformation where the AI often stops halfway or requires constant hand-holding to reach the final state.
Before & after
You typically have to prompt the AI for every individual step, review the output, and then give a follow-up instruction, which can take 20–30 minutes for complex coding or data tasks.
In Goal Mode, you simply define the 'Success Criteria.' Codex will then self-correct and continue working until the goal is met, reducing your active management time to 2–3 minutes.
The Prompt
Enter Goal Mode. Objective: [DESCRIBE_FINAL_OUTCOME]. Success Criteria: 1. [CRITERIA_1] 2. [CRITERIA_2]. 3. [CRITERIA_3]. Continue working and iterating until these criteria are met.
Goal Mode is available across the Codex app, IDE extension, and CLI. It shifts the AI from a 'chatbot' to an 'agent' that understands the definition of 'done.'
Source
ChatGPT Business - Release Notes | OpenAI Help Center"users can define an outcome and success criteria and let Codex keep working toward it."