When you are tasked with writing an essay, do you usually finish it at the start or at the end of your time limit? How often have you finished a project just on time? Often, we work really hard in the beginning and at the end while slumping in the middle. The same goes for our new year’s goals.
So, this year to avoid the summer slump I decided to try the 12-week year as recommended by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington in their book “the 12 week year” for my personal goals. According to them a year consists of 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks and a one week break a new year starts. This way your projects are more condensed. You create a sense of urgency. Each day has a lot more weight. You’ll accomplish more of what matters since you have to focus on what’s really important. (Instead of doing the easy tasks) Another plus is that you can adapt your plans better to trends and what’s happening in the world.
Step 1: Set a long-term vision.
In order to choose your 12 week goals you need to know where you want to go in the long term. To know your long term goal, you need to know your values, who you are, what your beliefs are. You have to really figure out where you want to go for now. Here you can find techniques like the stick figure exercise to find out what you want in life.
Step 2: Set New Year's Goals
Living without clear goals is like driving in a thick fog. – Brian Tracy
When you set New Year’s goals, it’s important that you set the right goals. They have to:
- actually, get you towards your long-term vision.
- they have to be achievable within the time limit.
- they have to interest you.
It won’t do you any good if you chose something that feels tedious from the start. Or you won’t be able to work hard on it for 3 months. According to a Swedish study by Oscarsson et al. (2021) it significantly increases your chance to achieve your New Year’s resolutions if you to formulate them in a positive way as approach-oriented goals instead of avoidance-oriented goals.
I will stop eating junk food -> I will start eating a handful of veggies each day.
Brian Moran also emphasized that you should only set 3-4 goals. And that it’s better to excel at a few things than to be mediocre at many things.
Step 3: Create a focused tactical plan
Next you need a weekly action plan for your set New Year’s goals , which you can break down into daily actions.
The focused strategy:
· Plan weekly and daily actions
· Create effective measurements to figure out if you are on track.
· Focus on the execution.
· Try to finish at least 80% percent of your weekly to dos.
As Brian Tracy recommended in his book 21 Steps be proactive and take responsibility to achieve your goals.
Let’s say you want to lose weight:
Strategy 1.: Cook fresh food each day.
Strategy 2.: Stop buying junk food.
Strategy 3.: Do 25 squats each day.
Combine the strategy and consistently work on it. Take daily actions.
Step 4. Review in the 13th week – When time stops
The 13th week is your break week before the new year starts. You have the time to do a review:
· How do my actions contribute to my vision?
· Which tactics worked?
· What didn’t work?
· How can I adapt my strategy?
· Are you ahead or behind?
· What changed in the market?
· Reconnect to your vision.
You can rest and plan the next 12 weeks. For me, who always feels bad for resting, a time out sounds like a right blessing.
I’ll try this strategy for the next 3 months and keep you posted on how well it worked. What can you do now?
· 1st set new year’s goals and strategies for your next 3-months.
· Figure out who you really are here!
· Learn about different types of goals and how to set them right here.
· Troubles with procrastination? Start here.
