The Simple Tip My Mentor Gave Me That Transformed My PhD Progress

When I was a graduate student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, my mentor gave me a tip that transformed my PhD progress.

After discussing my academic goals, my mentor suggested that I use a goal tracker. She instructed me to create a spreadsheet with categories for my research, teaching, publication, presentation, and service work goals.

I had always been proactive with goal setting and tracking, but this simple tool took my progress to another level.

Using a goal tracker allowed me to progress in an intentional and holistic way. It helped me make sure I was strategically setting goals across different areas, and became a visual source of motivation that I would look at before starting my work every day.

What tips have your mentors passed on to you?

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