The 12 Week Year
The beginning of the year for some, sparks a time of remembrance, release and reconnection. As we reflect on the past year, remembering our why, letting go of what didn’t work, and connecting with what did we move into the next phase of our lives and the work we are called to do. This is the perfect time to plan for the next year.
What if the next year wasn’t 12 months, rather it was 12 weeks? Brian Moran, in his book The 12 Week Year, suggests that we are more prone to success when we break things down into smaller, more manageable pieces.
The year long, business plan allows too much time for procrastination. Brian Moran says studies show that productivity peaks in the 4th quarter of the year, so his strategy of breaking things down into 12 weeks creates the same urgency that seems to happen in more traditional business planning in the last quarter. This 12-week cycle will force you to have the clarity and discipline needed to accomplish your goals.
Be specific! For example, many people seem to hit the gym in January, wanting to lose weight. Trying to lose that 20+ pounds in one month is near impossible without starvation and that’s not healthy. What if you were to look at the action's steps needed to achieve that goal in 12-week increments? What would you do to have a healthy lifestyle? Perhaps you need to add movement. How willing are you to do that? Can you increase what you already do to one more day a week, maybe the 2nd week 2 days, etc…. Now do that for your business. Would you like more revenue this year? Do you know what you generated last year, and how? Can you add 5 percent more and break that down to more manageable action steps. Reverse engineer how you did that and what you need to do to duplicate that process if it was successful. If last year was less than the success you wanted, what do you need to do to improve outcomes? Do you need to talk to a business advisor, get a mentor, focus on different action steps? Whatever it is, strategize on how you will take action in twelve-week increments.
Here’s how the 12 week works:
Set 12-week goals: Identify 1–3 major outcomes you want to accomplish in the next 12 weeks. These should be specific and meaningful.
Weekly and daily actions: Break goals into weekly “lead measures” (activities that drive results) and daily execution tasks. Lead measures are things you control—like calls made, content created, hours coached—not lag measures like revenue.
Score weekly: Track progress weekly to stay accountable and adjust quickly. This is about honest measurement, not perfection.
Time blocking: Schedule focused blocks for high-impact work (strategic activities), protecting them from distraction.
Accountability and rhythm: Regular reviews—especially weekly planning—help you stay aligned with goals and adjust when needed.
The bottom line is when we fail to plan, we plan to fail. “The 12 Week Year” process turns annual goals into near-term commitments. Practice “The 12 Week Year” to gain greater clarity on what matters most in both your personal and professional life. Help yourself by creating the urgency that eliminates procrastination and helps promote consistent action. This process is guaranteed to help you align daily behavior with the goals and outcomes you want to achieve. Also, the added benefit is you will see faster feedback loops when you look at what you are trying to accomplish in 12-week increments. It helps you to learn what works, what doesn’t and adjust your behaviors accordingly. Start with reading Brian Moran’s book The 12 Week Year. Your future self will thank you, 12 weeks from now.
