Reverse Goal Setting: The Smarter Path to Achieving Your Dreams

Have you ever set an ambitious goal only to find yourself stuck halfway through, unsure of what to do next? Or perhaps you’ve abandoned goals entirely because the path forward seemed too unclear or overwhelming. If this sounds familiar, you might benefit from flipping your approach to goal setting on its head.

What Is Reverse Goal Setting?

Reverse goal setting, sometimes called backward planning, is exactly what it sounds like: starting with your end goal and working backward to identify the steps needed to get there. Unlike traditional goal setting that begins with your current situation and tries to push forward, reverse goal setting pulls you toward your desired future.

Think of it like planning a road trip. Rather than just heading in the general direction of your destination and figuring things out as you go, you’d first identify exactly where you want to end up, then map the most efficient route backward to your starting point. This approach provides clarity and structure that conventional goal setting often lacks.

Why Traditional Goal Setting Often Fails

Many of us set goals using what might be called the “conventional” approach:

Identify what we want to achieve
Try to figure out some activities that might help us get there
Attempt to stay disciplined with those activities
Get frustrated when we don’t see results

This method can work for simple, short-term goals. But for complex aspirations that require significant personal growth or that unfold over months or years, it often falls short because it:

Focuses too heavily on outcomes rather than process
Fails to account for necessary personal development
Doesn’t create a clear, step-by-step pathway
Ignores the person you need to become to achieve the goal

The Five-Step Reverse Goal Setting Process

Step 1: Define Your Ultimate Vision

Start by clearly articulating what you want to achieve in the next 5-10 years. Be specific about what success looks like, but also write down why you want to achieve this goal. What feelings or situations will it create for you? Understanding your motivation is crucial for maintaining momentum when challenges arise.

For example, instead of saying, “I want to be successful,” say, “I want to build a profitable small business that generates $100,000 annually while allowing me to work flexible hours.”

Pro tip: Keep your long-term vision somewhat broad and give yourself permission to pivot if necessary. Break this vision into medium-term goals (3 years or less) and specify what’s required to achieve them.

Step 2: Envision Your Future Self

This is where reverse goal setting truly diverges from conventional methods. Instead of focusing solely on the goal itself, define the person who would find achieving this goal relatively easy:

What skills would this person possess?
What daily habits would they maintain?
What mindset or attributes would they have?
What opportunities would they have access to?

For example, if your goal is to write a novel, your future self might:

Have strong writing discipline (writing daily for 2 hours)
Possess excellent storytelling skills
Maintain connections with other writers for feedback
Have knowledge of the publishing industry
Be resilient to rejection and setbacks

Your primary goal now becomes becoming that person who would find achieving the original goal much easier.

Step 3: Assess Your Current Self

Take an honest inventory of where you currently stand in relation to your “future self.” For each skill, habit, attribute, and opportunity you identified in Step 2:

Rate the requirement on a scale of 1-10
Rate your current ability on the same scale
The gap between these ratings becomes your development plan

For instance, if writing discipline is a 9 in importance but your current level is only a 3, this gap represents a key area for growth.

If you struggle with self-assessment, that’s valuable information too—it indicates a need to develop greater self-awareness first.

Step 4: Identify Forces Affecting Your Journey

This step helps you visualize the barriers and drivers affecting your progress:

Draw a line between your current self and your goal
List obstacles preventing your progress (limited time, lack of skills, etc.)
List drivers helping you succeed (existing strengths, resources, support)
Note network connections and resources that can help overcome barriers

This visualization clarifies what you need to overcome and what will help you move forward.

Step 5: Create Your Development Plan

Now that you understand the gap between your current and future self, determine:

What to focus on first (often the skills or attributes lagging the most)
When to begin addressing each element (prioritize based on impact)
How to develop each necessary skill or attribute

Most importantly, be realistic about timelines. Changing skills and habits takes time and consistent effort. Focus on just one or two areas each month rather than trying to improve everything simultaneously.

Real-Life Example: Publishing a Book

Let’s see how reverse goal setting might work for someone who wants to publish a book in two years:

End Goal: Book published and launched by March 2027.

Future Self Required:

Disciplined daily writer (2 hours minimum)
Skilled at crafting engaging narratives
Connected to editors and published authors
Knowledgeable about the publishing industry
Resilient to criticism and rejection

Current Self Assessment:

Writing discipline: 3/10 (Gap: 7)
Narrative skills: 5/10 (Gap: 5)
Industry connections: 1/10 (Gap: 9)
Publishing knowledge: 2/10 (Gap: 8)
Resilience: 6/10 (Gap: 4)

Development Plan:

Month 1-2: Establish daily writing habit starting with 30 minutes and building to 2 hours
Month 3-4: Join a writing group for feedback and skill development
Month 5-6: Complete first three chapters while reading books on narrative structure
Month 7-8: Attend a writing conference to build industry connections
Month 9-12: Complete first draft while researching publishing options
Month 13-15: Revise based on feedback from writing group and beta readers
Month 16-18: Prepare query letters or self-publishing plan
Month 19-24: Submit to publishers or execute self-publishing plan

Working Backward Timeline:

Month 24: Book published
Month 22: Final manuscript submitted to publisher
Month 18: Complete second draft after revisions
Month 12: Complete first draft
Month 6: Outline and first three chapters completed
Month 3: Consistent writing habit established
Month 1: Begin daily writing practice

By working backward like this, each step naturally leads to the next, creating a clear pathway to success.

Why Reverse Goal Setting Works

This approach is effective for several key reasons:

It creates clarity and specificity. Research in goal-setting theory emphasizes that clear, specific goals enhance motivation and focus.
It leverages mental simulation. By visualizing the end result and working backward, you create a mental roadmap that activates the brain’s planning centers.
It reduces overwhelm. Breaking down a large goal into smaller, manageable steps makes the process less daunting and reduces anxiety and procrastination.
It focuses on becoming, not just achieving. By emphasizing the development of your future self, you create sustainable change rather than just pursuing an outcome.
It provides built-in progress tracking. The clearly defined milestones make it easy to monitor your advancement and make adjustments as needed.

Practical Tips for Success

Visualize success daily. Spend a few minutes each day imagining what achieving your goal will look and feel like to reinforce your commitment.
Find accountability. Share your goals and development plan with someone who can provide support and hold you accountable.
Celebrate progress. Acknowledge and reward yourself for completing milestones to maintain motivation.
Stay flexible. Be prepared to adapt your plan while keeping your end goal in mind. The path may change, but the destination remains.
Focus on systems, not just goals. As James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits,” suggests, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

Final Thoughts

Reverse goal setting isn’t just another productivity hack—it’s a fundamental shift in how you approach personal and professional development. By starting with your ultimate vision and working backward, you create a clear, structured pathway that naturally leads to success.

The power of this method lies in its focus on becoming the person who would naturally achieve your goals, rather than just focusing on the goals themselves. This emphasis on personal growth ensures that even if your specific objectives change over time, the progress you make in developing yourself remains valuable.

Remember that transformation takes time. Be patient with yourself, celebrate progress along the way, and trust that as you grow into your “future self,” your ability to achieve your dreams will naturally increase.

What goal will you reverse-engineer today?