Backward Planning1

Setting Goals and Timelines

1. Consider a long-term goal. It might be going on the job-market, completing the dissertation,
defending the dissertation, completing a project that is important to you. Write down the date by
which you would like to meet this goal.

2. Write down what you want to have accomplished by your goal date. This might be the
dissertation chapters, and a draft or drafts of articles you want to have in your portfolio, the items
you want on your CV when you go on the market, or a clear and detailed description of what
your finished dissertation will look like. Be as clear and specific as possible. If you know the
titles and topics of your dissertation chapters, write them down. Include the number of chapters
and/or articles. How many chapters will be in your dissertation? What will each chapter cover?

3. Working backward from your goal date, go to the time one year before that date. What must
be done by this time? Write it down. Consider the possibility of obstacles and setbacks. Build a
time cushion into your plan that takes these into account.

4. Continue to work backward a year at a time.

5. When you get to goals for one year from today, write those goals in your planner.

6. After you have set goals for one year from today, consider what you would like to have
accomplished in 6 months. And write that in your planner.

7. Consider your goals for 90 days from today. Make a note of these goals in your planner.

8. Consider your goals for 60 days from today. Make a note of these goals in your planner.

9. Consider your goals for 30 days from today. Make a note of these goals in your planner.

10. Write a reminder in your planner for six months from today, to write down new 30 day, 60
day, 90 day, and 6 month goals.

1
This document is a revision of Rena Seltzers handout for a Princeton Writing Workshop for Faculty on March 3,
2017.