The 12 Week Year Field Guide: Get More Done In 12 Weeks Than Others Do In 12 Months

by Brian P. Moran, Michael Lennington

Update your thinking and avoid complacency with the 12 week year

Are you ready to change your life? This hands-on template for implementing advice from the game-changing book The 12 Week Year is a study guide that makes it easy for anyone to apply the 12 week year to their own lives. Instead of getting bogged down in annualized thinking that produces pitfalls and saps productivity, follow along with this guide to redefine your “year” to be just 12 weeks long. By doing so, you’ll avoid complacency, begin to focus on what matters most, create better clarity, and develop a sense of urgency so that “now” is always the right time to act.

Applicable to business growth, career goals, and life in general, the 12 week plan will help you improve in any—or every—area. By closing the “knowing-doing gap,” you’ll discover how to execute on what you already know and greatly expand the boundaries of your capabilities. Learn

Create your personal and business visions with step-by-step tips Develop your own 12 week plan by applying what you know to what you do Put over 10 years of field-tested content, exercises, and templates to work for you Build a 12 week commitment and apply the system to your own life and business Take back your life, improve your thinking, and advance your business or career by implementing real-world, hands-on methods in The 12 Week Year Study Guide.

Genres: Self Help, Productivity, Business, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Leadership, Audiobook

117 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Brian Moran, President and Founder of The 12 Week Year, has 30 years of expertise as a corporate executive, entrepreneur, consultant and coach. His background as a corporate executive combined with his experience as an entrepreneur positions him with a unique skill set to help individuals and organizations grow and prosper.

Reviews

[Manal Faris 💫 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very simplistic and has a lot of repetition. I felt the core concepts could have been captured very thoroughly in half the pages.

Overall it is a great concept so I’d recommend a YouTube video summary of the book instead :/

[Jaer Mertens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book is powerful: annual goal setting is ineffective, because it is hard to predict how your life will look like in 12 months from now. Besides that, the authors point out that most results are achieved in the final sprint of the year, the months November and December. So why not use this knowledge to make a 12 week year? By dividing the year into quarters, you become more agile (you can come up with now goals, adjust your old goals) after each quarter. Another benefit of the 12 week year is that you'll have four end sprints per year, thus pushing you are pushing yourself more often.

The premise of the book is explained in the first 10 pages, which makes reading the rest of the book a bit of a drag. In the rest of the book the authors explain the optimal conditions for goal setting and achieving and giving you a lot of practical pointers of how to optimise your success-rate with their methodology. While these tips and tricks might be use full to a complete goal-setting novice, I think that everyone that has read a self-help book or two recognises most of the content.

[Zora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was ok. I forgot to mark it as “read” ( over a year ago). I was inclined to rate it 3 stars, but that might be somewhat unfair because I was really preoccupied last year when I listened to this one on Audible. It wasn’t bad, but nothing really new here.

[JT Tapias · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 12 Week Year is an absolute game-changer for anyone looking to revolutionize their productivity and goal-setting strategy.

This book introduces a compelling concept that challenges the traditional annual planning process, urging you to think in 12-week cycles instead of yearly quarters.

This shift in perspective encourages immediate action and fosters a sense of urgency that has been incredibly effective in propelling me towards my goals.

The authors, Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington, do an excellent job of breaking down the process into manageable steps, making it easy to understand and implement.

The emphasis on tracking progress and maintaining accountability has been particularly beneficial for me, helping to stay focused and on track.

The book is not just about work; it’s about transforming your entire life, from personal health to professional achievements.

One of the standout aspects of the 12 Week Year is its practicality.

The strategies and techniques presented are applicable in various aspects of life and work, providing a versatile toolkit for achieving success.

The concept of periodization and the importance of taking strategic breaks have also been eye-opening, leading to better work-life balance and sustained productivity.

Overall, the 12 Week Year has been an enlightening read, offering a fresh and effective approach to achieving goals and maximizing productivity.

I highly recommend it to anyone who feels stuck in traditional planning methods and is looking for a way to accelerate their success.

Five stars for its clear, actionable guidance and its transformative potential.

[Khadija · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب “12 أسبوعاً للسنة الواحدة” (The 12 Week Year) للكاتب برايان بي. موراين ومايكل لينينجتون يقدم منهجية فعالة لإدارة الوقت وزيادة الإنتاجية من خلال التركيز على تحقيق الأهداف الكبرى خلال فترة قصيرة بدلاً من الاعتماد على نظام التخطيط السنوي التقليدي.

‎منهجية “12 أسبوعاً للسنة” تعيد صياغة للطريقة التي نخطط بها وننفذ أهدافنا. إذا كنت تبحث عن وسيلة لزيادة الإنتاجية وتحقيق الأهداف بشكل أسرع، فإن هذا النظام يساعدك على تحقيق إنجازات ملموسة من خلال العمل المركز والمراجعة الدورية.

فيما يلي ملخص لأهم أفكار الكتاب:

1. الفكرة الأساسية للكتاب
• يعتمد الكتاب على تقسيم السنة إلى دورات مدتها 12 أسبوعاً بدلاً من 12 شهراً.
• يعتبر أن التخطيط السنوي يسبب تأجيل المهام لأن الأفراد يشعرون بأن لديهم وقتاً كافياً لتحقيق أهدافهم، مما يؤدي إلى تراجع الإنتاجية.
• بدلاً من ذلك، يركز نظام “12 أسبوعاً” على خلق إحساس بالإلحاح لتحقيق الأهداف في وقت أقصر.

2. المزايا الرئيسية لنظام 12 أسبوعاً
• زيادة التركيز: فترات قصيرة تعني التزاماً أكبر بالعمل اليومي.
• قياس الأداء الدوري: مما يتيح مراجعة الأداء ومتابعة التقدم وتحسينه بشكل متكرر.
• التخطيط المرن: إمكانية تعديل الأهداف والخطط بشكل أسرع بناءً على النتائج المحققة.
• تحقيق التوازن: التركيز على العمل الشخصي والمهني بشكل متساوٍ.

3. خطوات تطبيق منهجية 12 أسبوعاً

1) وضع رؤية واضحة:
• تحديد ما تريد تحقيقه على المدى الطويل.
• تقسيم هذه الرؤية إلى أهداف قابلة للقياس والتحقيق خلال 12 أسبوعاً.

2) التخطيط الأسبوعي:
• إنشاء خطة أسبوعية واضحة تتضمن الخطوات اللازمة لتحقيق الأهداف المحددة.
• التركيز على أهم الأنشطة التي تعطي نتائج ملموسة.

3) التنفيذ اليومي:
• العمل على الأولويات اليومية دون التشتت.
• تخصيص وقت يومي للعمل المركز على الأهداف.

4) قياس التقدم:
• مراجعة أسبوعية لتقييم الإنجازات والاطلاع على مدى التزامك بالخطة.
• تصحيح الأخطاء أو تعديل الخطة إذا لزم الأمر.

5) تحمل المسؤولية:
• التأكد من أنك مسؤول عن تنفيذ الخطة بغض النظر عن التحديات.
• الاعتماد على شريك أو فريق لدعمك ومحاسبتك على الالتزام بالأهداف.

4. أهمية التركيز على النتائج لا الجهود
• يدعو الكتاب إلى التركيز على تحقيق النتائج بدلاً من الانشغال بالأنشطة غير المفيدة.
• النجاح يتحقق من خلال التقدم المستمر والمركّز على تحقيق الهدف النهائي.

5. تطبيق النظام عملياً
• يمكن استخدام النظام لتحقيق أهداف مختلفة، مثل تحسين الصحة، زيادة الإنتاجية، بناء المهارات، أو تحقيق إنجازات مهنية.
• يعتمد على العمل بشكل مكثف خلال 12 أسبوعاً ثم أخذ فترة استراحة قصيرة لإعادة شحن الطاقه.

[Kyu Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book somewhat changed how I approach my goals. Instead of getting bogged down with year-long plans, this book encourages me to break everything into 12-week cycles. It creates a real sense of urgency and keeps me laser-focused. The practical strategies and tools provided are easy to implement and will help me stay accountable. I’m looking forward to seeing a noticeable boost in my productivity and achieving my goals more efficiently. It’s a game-changer for anyone looking to step up their performance and get more stuff done

[Mariasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually living my life in 90 day increments before reading this book. I’m happy I did so I can apply the methods here and improve my process.

I very much felt like I was back in college though 😅. But I understand the repeating of concepts is to help it stick.

[Ramona Tudor · Rating 3 out of 5]

“12 Week Year” se concentrează pe o idee excelentă: planificarea și acțiunea pe termene mai scurte pentru a obține rezultate mai rapide. Am aplicat metoda și chiar a funcționat. Totuși, cartea tinde să repete excesiv aceeași idee sub diverse forme, ceea ce poate deveni obositor.

[Alexa K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! Will definitely reread again and lots of attainable things to do in both your personal and professional life and manage your goals! 👏🏽

[Reni Odetoyinbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very helpful but super repetitive

[Nitin Kishore Sai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Execution is more important than theory and ideas

Success and life is in the moment. Stop annualized thinking. There is no annual review or catching up at the end of the year. Discard year end or annual thinking. Think in days and weeks right now

Deadlines get you motivated for your goals
If you recognise that time is running out you'll pull out all stops and have a sense of urgency

Align short term goals with long term vision and sacrifice comfort. Real magic is in the action yourw avoiding. Do the uncomfortable tasks and actions. First step is to create and maintain a compelling vision that you value more than your comfort


Change tactics, not your plan. Unless your execution is perfect and still not producing results, don't change the plan


Lead and lag indicators along with key measurements will drive progress. Progress is the goal,not perfection. Don't drop out if your score is low or push it off for later


How you view and take accountability determines everything about your life

Commitment is an act not a word. Do things regardless of how you feel. They shape our lives. Long term commitments make people feel lost.


We have very little downtime to relax because we in a fomo with tech, emails, media. Attention is spread and we apply very little to ourselves and burn out by being mediocre.


Best thing about future it comes one day at a time. Dreams are achieved in the moment. Greatness is not when the record is broken. Thar is just evidence and recognition. You achieve it the moment you decide and go for it. It happens in an instant long before the results come.



8 elements fundamental to high performance

* Vision - compell
* Planning
* Process control
* Measurement
* Time use
* Accountability - what more can you do to get results
* Commitment - keeping your promise. Accountability projected in the future
* Greatness in the moment -



Leave a bread crumb trail for course correction. Make this 12 week year your OS so that all other software work well. A consistent platform without usual chaos that accompanies change. It's not one more thing you do. It's how you get things done


If you think something is impossible you'll never attain it. Shift from this to possible. Ask what if. What would be different . Give yourself permission to entertain the possibility and connect with the benefits


Action bias can be good but causes impatience. It may seem counter intuitive but if you plan well the total time can be reduced. There is always a gap between what people want and what they do. So always have a plan. Knowing is not enough or the same as doing . Find a quote per week that you'll follow and motivate your work



12 weeks creates an increased premium on your time. Learning to act in the moment as the future is created, either reactively(sub-optimal with external triggers) or proactively(choosing between higher value activity). Your plan triggers your actions. You do minimum number of important actions to effectively get your goal in the short durations. Due to uncertainty annual plans are not action based but rather objective based. They tell you what you want to achieve but not how. If how isn't defined you'll take on more than possible to execute and set yourself up to fail


Plan isn't a collection of thoughts and goals. They are directions. Drive short term and long term goals. Pit stops and destination. Good plan starts with a good goal that is measurable. Focus on the positive spin of the goal. Be realistic. Assign accountability. Be time bound with dates. Verb with complete sentence and the due date. If you hut your goal, what will be different. 1-2 things you want to make progress on. Good plan today is better than perfect plan tomorrow. Be iterative. It's never ending. Define hugest priority impactful actions that are one timers or recurring. Which ones will you struggle with and which/how will you overcome. Balance them over 12 weeks and don't burn out by frontloading


Taking time to plan will reduce your total execution time by 20%. Stay focused with limited goals. Everything cannot be a priority. Keep it simple and meaningful. Don't build a plan on a goal that someone else thinks is important. Will power has a fatigue factor. Don't leave everything up to that. Have structures in place of I support your plan even when you're not feeling it. Weekly plans can help with this. Critical strategic game plan for the week proactively.


Peer support helps. Doing things alone leaves room to revert. There's no such thing as a self made man. Meet regularly with a small group. Wham meetings


Plan on paper is much better than one in your head. Lot of unproductive work happens if it is between your ears to avoid personal accountability. Don't kid yourself. You are not different. Speed of the leader is the speed of the team. Don't let anything get in the way, distractions or negative attitude. The weekly plans are not just for beginners. It's for everyone who doesn't want to leave the option to fall down and redo the climb. Not every week will be same. It's unlikely that all 12 will be same. Add a tactic to your 12 week plan and let it flow through into your individual game plans. Guide your daily activity based on the plan and incorporate it into your routine, while keeping score. Adjust based on your numbers


Daily>weekly>monthly>annual measures . Measure your weekly execution. Not your results. Your execution. Embrace it. It's virtually impossible without it. Outcomes are driven by actions. Weekly score card is the most accurate predictor of the outcome cause it cares about execution. Measurement is not an accountability system. It's simply feedback. It shouldn't be complicated. Schedule a block of time to assess progress. Don't abandon the system of your scores are low. Commit to making progress each week, not completion. Don't be afraid of reality. Figure out if the execution or the plan content was incorrect


Lack of time is a smokescreen that obfuscates the real issue. Time blocking helps. You'll get ahead and have blocks for breaks and vacations. What you do with your time makes all the difference between people.


To get anything , required discomfort. The biggest sacrifice is always comfort. Your strengths and weaknesses impact your ability. Success demands you work to your strengths. Intentionally align your time for it. Everything in life happens in the context of time. It's the currency. Breakout blocks prevent burnout. Have one per months. Create a picture of an effective week. Design one to carve out the high value tasks and not just removing low level. 15 mins in the morning on Monday to plan. Strategic (3 hr - reconnect with vision and scores, performance, tactics, read stuff), buffer(1hr - emails, calls, low level easy work) and breakout blocks, additional operations tasks. You will notice you have very little time in the week when you see all this on a calendar. Be in control of your time. Don't be in the false belief that you'll catch up. Be ruthless and remove things that don't serve you. Breakthrough is about profound change. Not incremental. You need time for that. Value your time more than others. You don't have to proportionately work harder. Work differently. Don't let the mechanics blur the concepts. Refresh and rejuvenate, eliminate low level and spend time on high impact. Have intentionality with your time and schedule buffer blocks so that others can reach out only in that time. Don't let your old habits drive your activity. Don't multi task as it slows you down and causes mistakes. Don't allow distractions to steal your time. Some spontaneity is healthy. Productive is more important than busy. Be clear about that. Spend 5 minute adjusting your time blocks


Take accountability for your actions and don't have a victim mentality mindset. Gain control of your life. Accountability is not an acknowledgement of faults but what it takes to become better and have results we desire. Instrad of defending actions learn from them. Successful people are accountable. Understand that your actions have impact and failure is feedback. Don't go finding excuses. Little things and change in thinking matter. Have a process rather than just a desire to improve. Excuses can be justified at times but unnecessary. Don't feel sorry for yourself. Destroy your challenges. Don't let anything stand in your way. Life you're currently living is a choice you made. Taking ownership means you stop looking outside of yourself. The world doesn't care about your success or your excuses.

Resolve never to be the victim again or give up your power on the circumstances. Don't let things linger into becoming self pity. Do different things if you want a different life. Change your outlook by taking action and associate with better and positive people and not victims. Accountability is not consequences, it's ownership. Even though you don't control circumstances you control how you respond. Accountability cannot to coerced forced or imposed. Foster ownership. Become aware of victim conversations. Take note, acknowledge reality but decide what can be done in the future. Make it safe to embrace it. It's not about the past or guilt. It's about future and results. Look outside yourself and stop waiting for things to change. Truth is the only safe ground to stand on , so acknowledge reality and what you can control. Spend energy on those.



Act on commitment, not feelings. Personal commitment is a promise you make with yourself. Do whatever it takes to get the result. Stated and hidden intentions might be in conflict. If stated are stronger then you have no conflicts and can commit truly.
This is how you follow through - Strong desire, keystone actions, count the costs, act on commitments not feelings.

Spiritual
Family
Career
Spouse relationship
Business
Personal


Keystone action should be catalytic and create more action executions.

Commitment to others - how does it feel to have a broken promise. Some are explicit and some are implicit promises. Your word means a lot. Count costs before making promises. Renegotiate immediately. It's okay to say no. Rather that than break a promise. These require you to sacrifice. Choose pleasurable results instead of activities. When you make a commitment, don't give yourself an out. Be aware of your agreements.


If you miss it once don't give up. Commitment isn't an interest that gets abandoned when it is difficult. Breaking word damages relationships so don't overcommit or take on more than tou can handle. Go public with commitments to be determined to follow through and find a peer to engage with.



Research in what can help the change be more sustainable. Perform at your best. Avoid resistance monsters. Effort is expended to accomplish things. Barriers to change are the monsters. Common ones are :

* Need for immediate gratification. Review your vision each day so that you don't get diverted.
* Multiple goals and obstacles. Chunk things into smaller issues with a written plan. Goal shouldn't shrink. If you think the plan is manageable then you'll be able to execute it. Set progress milestones.
* old habits. To reach new results ,you have to do new things and come out of your old environment, triggers etc., Create a new execution environment
* Victim thinking. Barriers are not insurmountable. Don't give away your power.
* Personal accountability



Set your ego aside and acknowledge that someone else might know something more than you or better than you. Don't just dabble, engage. The sooner you actthe better you'll incorporate things in your daily routine.

[Bfly · Rating 2 out of 5]

TikTok got me here even though I swore off self help. And as per usual for every self help/“how to live life” book to me ... some things were worth implementing and resonated, but the majority missed the mark especially on a personal level as opposed to trying to apply this for a business. It felt like the whole book could’ve been half its length but it tried hard to sell itself as a life changing system to adapt. Ultimately any book that revolves around time and its management will miss the mark for a lot of people but there were definitely some concepts worth taking to try and adapt to myself.

[TeaMist · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very simplistic and oddly kinda 'spiritual' unga bunga? The writing is repetitive throughout and he harps about "your vision" when the concept of "vision" is very up in the air and not very tangible. All in all, I would say most of what's in here is better explained in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book also felt like it wanted me to go elsewhere like a website or whatnot. With books like this, I prefer if they keep themselves contained within the confines of their pages except for citing sources, of course. That was another thing I felt was missing, for all the claims there were very few sources given to back up any of the claims. It felt very damning how at nearly the very start of the book the authors wrote how, to summarise, 'If you don't get the vision part right it's all going to fail and be wrong, and if you skip it it's all going to fail and be wrong and that's on you!' It kinda set the whole tone for the book for me and how I was going to consume the whole of the book from that point on. It gave it a nasty kind of 'you suck more if you don't do this and it's not our fault we told you so.'

I did notice that a lot of the verbiage used was very close to the toxic, hyper-productivity bros that you see a lot of on YouTube, but that could have just been something I was picking up on. But a lot of it seemed to air on the side of "if you're not doing this you're not committed enough" or "Commitment is a sacrifice that has to be made!!! rawr"

There was one thing that was in the book that I did like and that was the frequent checking in on your goals, "To use your weekly plan effectively, you will need to spend the first 15 or 20 minutes at the beginning of each week to review your progress from the past week and plan the upcoming one. In addition, the first 5 minutes of each day should be spent reviewing your weekly plan to plan that day's activities." It can be taken as a very 'duh' statement but a lot of self-help/productivity books are just a lot of 'duh' statements that are very obvious when you read them but easily forgotten/not thought about unless plainly stated. But one paragraph that was like that little morsel of 'duh' I should have thought about that before in an almost 200-page book is too little for the time, money, and effort it took to read the book.

I will state it here, I was looking forward to reading this to see how it would help with deadline pressure and using that to my advantage. But the main issue I found was the 'deadlines,' or as the book put it your 12-week year, become more arbitrary than the fact that society runs off a 12-month year. The whole reason the year "deadline" works is because society has collectively agreed it is a measurement of time we choose to follow. So it's way harder to force your mind to commit to 12 weeks in the same way. But I could simply be reading too far into that part. The way they want you to "discard annualized thinking" as they put it is impossible to truly do when everything works off of that agreed-upon timeframe. And making up your own deadlines may work for others but, I would hazard a guess here, is impractical or impossible for others, and saying that if you can't you're failing is really kinda shitty to do when writing a self-help book. But maybe I'm just too soft. Who knows.

TL;DR Just read Atomic Habits by James Clear. It has a lot if not all of the same talking points, and sources to back up major claims, it's more clearly written and doesn't leave you feeling like you're a failure. Yes it's a longer read and no there isn't a 12-week deadline gimmick but it really doesn't need it to get the point across. 12-week and Atomic Habits are really all about the same thing, knowing how to set trackable goals that you can stick to and measure in real space and time.

[i ♡ p l n e t BOOKS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in: 1 day.

The first half of this book was the most powerful. It focused more on the psychology behind why people often don’t reach their full potential. It explored how the magnitude of someone’s future plans and dreams often deters and distracts them from taking the necessary daily steps to make their dreams their reality.

I loved the quote “If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves.” It’s akin to when Lauren London said “Don’t focus on the future; focus on the present—enjoy what’s happening now”

The second half of the book is also important, but it’s more of a how-to guide that realistically walks the reader through setting up their goals and plans.

I’ve already recommended this book to a few people I know who enjoying books like this, but I would recommend it to people who don’t usually read self-help books too. It’s pretty to-the-point and only has about 15% fluff and fodder.

[Melissa Nunez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more like 2.5 stars I think so I rounded up, but maybe 2? I feel bad giving it a low rating But I didn't necessarily learn anything "new" or "enlightening" which maybe is the point?

This book was HIGHLY recommended from a podcast that I listen to (A Beautiful Mess).

If you don't want to read it, these are the main points:
- make a plan
- give yourself a deadline (hence the 12 weeks instead of a year, where you don't have an imminent deadline)
- hold yourself accountable (you need to be accountable to YOU; yes, you need an accountability buddy, but more than anything else you use that buddy just as a way to check in with yourself)
- be merciless with how you use your time
- if you really want to hit your goals, it may be at your current discomfort, but your future self will thank you *

*this was my biggest take away from the book.

[Gwendalyngw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: I read the actual book prior to this and honestly I wish I did not take the extra time to read it and just jumped straight to the workbook!

The workbook did an excellent job summarizing the main points of the book to give you enough knowledge to implement the process without the extra fluff. It provided alot of common downfalls and alot of tips after each section as well as examples on how to fill out what he was asking you to do.

I am actually filling out my first 12 week plan today to start implementing NOW because I love the idea of not having so much goals it's overwhelming and having sooo much time you forget about them.

[David Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Field Guide is a practical book that guides you very well in implementing the concepts for the 12 week year.

[Paiman Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very practical. Stay focus. Take care of self.

[Velislava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motivating book, with a lot of practical ideas that can be implemented today.

[Jaye Rochon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, and I’m experimenting with my first 12-week program for a new business idea as I type.

I’ve been reading self development books on Audible like podcasts and this one was very absorbing - I blazed through it. I’m giving it 3 stars for being a little repetitive, and 4 stars for being highly motivating.

I already feel like it’s changed my strategy for how to plan my projects and measure “success,” but I’m only less than a week in, so I’m hesitant to speak of results until I’ve done this for at least one cycle.

I do agree that humans are not machines, and our brains are wired to be cyclical, so *I could’ve had a V8!* don’t know why I’ve been trapped in “annual thinking” mode for so long. It feels so subtle and obvious that maybe the answer to my perfectionism and procrastination has been there all along? I do quarterly goals and measurements with finances, why not with other projects?? 🤦🏻‍♀️💥🥫

As an artist and creative type, some of the measurement tips don’t really apply, so I’m crafting ways to measure progress through productivity apps that measure percentages complete. (Hello Trello I 💖 you).

I already feel like I’ve got more done within a week than I normally do in a month. I recognize this as “fresh start” motivation, though (lol). We’ll see where I’m at in another 30 days. This may tip the review into 4 star territory for producing real-world results. I’ll be back with an update!

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down

Honestly this book would have been a lot stronger as an article imo, but then that's harder to market. Overall, I think this is a compelling idea and they do a good job outlining it and also identifying and working through some of the obstacles that people might face around it. And in fairness, part of me feels I should actually implement the ideas before judging them.

That said, it was super repetitive and many (most?) of the examples either have to do with sales- which seems like a very specific job that would work well with this approach-or starvation diets that are literally dangerous for most people. So yeah, food trigger warnings for sure.

Overall, there was a lot that was compelling about this book but it also felt like it was designed by and for tech bros and didn't take into account things like having small children or being disabled or professions that are seasonal, etc. None of which I would have minded at a shorter length, but once you've read a whole book about it you start to wonder whether that means this framework is incompatible with a lot of people.

If you're curious, I'd look into finding a good summary instead tbh.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who needs 365 days to conquer the world when you can have 12 weeks of laser-focused chaos? The 12 Week Year is like a personal trainer for your goals—minus the yelling but with all the guilt when you skip a “workout.”

This book flipped my thinking like a pancake. Annualized planning? Overrated. Now, I live by the mantra, “Why wait until December to fail at my resolutions when I can fail spectacularly by March?” But here's the thing: I didn’t fail. I actually did the things.

The 12 Week Year forces you to stop being a dreamy-eyed visionary and start being a ruthless executor of plans. The urgency it creates is wild. Suddenly, “I’ll do it tomorrow” morphs into “Do it now, or face the wrath of your future self!” It’s equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.

Practical, easy to follow, and loaded with exercises. Sure, the intensity might make you question your life choices, but by week 6, you’ll look back and think, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

Highly recommend for anyone who’s ready to ditch mediocrity, embrace short-term sprints, and experience the bizarre joy of telling people, “I have a year’s worth of accomplishments... and it’s only January.”

[josh valentin · Rating 3 out of 5]

the field guide version of the 12 week year book works for people like me, who have a hard time visualizing the theoretical advice that self-help books give. the activities were fun to do, and i got to build a 12 week year plan that i would’ve not made if i just read the original book. there are so much self-help books that provide activities and specifically are in a workbook manner, and i want to dig into more of these. as a person in the social sciences field, i want to see a perspective on the 12 week year in a more humanistic way. although the book is intended for a broad audience, it seems to target people in business, and i can assume it works. knowing that there’s a 12 week year for writers, i think they would hit the jackpot if they made this a franchise for people in different fields, with niche advice to help deepen the tactics and target actions people make. think of it like the for dummies series, but for people who want a new life reset.

[Ha Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The central idea of this book is to break down your plan into smaller, manageable units: monthly, weekly, and daily, instead of planning for an entire year. A 12-week plan is considered a reasonable period to plan and track details without the interruptions and unexpected events that an annual plan might bring.

To set a clear goal for a 12-week period, you need to be very clear about your vision and write it down. The more specific and detailed the information, the better your plan will be. Before sticking to your vision, measure your progress to see if it’s worth it. Understand the ECOC and assign ownership to the plan.

The other parts of the book, to me, seem repetitive and lengthy, and I didn’t find them particularly necessary. Perhaps they could be replaced with the detailed plan example from the author on how to actually implement and apply this method to his own plan.

[Jamie Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea behind this book is simple. Every year we set goals and make plans, and then we give ourselves 12 months to complete them. That’s a long time and a lot of opportunity to put it off till tomorrow cause you’ve still got plenty of year left. But what happens when you change your focus? What happens if instead of setting 12 month goals you set 12 week goals? If every day has the focus that every week had in the past, imagine how much more you would accomplish towards your goals.

The ideas and steps presented in this book were fascinating! I loved not only the intensity that comes with each day, but also the focus and planning that comes with the idea. It’s definitely something I’m going to try out, and I can’t wait to see the results!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a fascinating read on the power of non-annual thinking and goal setting in personal and professional goals. Thinking in 12 week periods instead, we have the potential to make more progress more quickly in our lives and businesses because of the urgency and deadlines that shorter periods of time create. We confront challenges, mindset shifts, and obstacles that much quicker and are forced to choose to grow (or not) with those in front of us sooner. Little by little, it all starts with our thinking that progress happens in the small, ordinary moments of greatness, that we own what is asked of us, and that we act on commitments not interests to make lasting change faster in our lives for what matters most.

[Karlissa Ashby · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit” -Aristotle

The 12 Week Year- a year is now equivalent to 12 weeks, a month is now a week, and a week is now a day.

It is important to understand that there is a difference between interest and commitment: When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit, but when you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.

Vision is the starting point of all high performance. You create things twice; first mentally, then physically.

“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.”
Ovid

Planning is just problem solving.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

En cuanto vi que el libro lo había escrito un vendedor sabía que sería un mal libro para mi pero no me imaginé que tan malo sería. Entre lo repetitivo que es el libro y las historias super fantasiosas tipo "no es que el hijo de mi amigo millonario dueño de empresas se quebró el brazo y entró en coma, aún así se propuso completar sus cursos y no dejar atrás la escuela, aún en coma se creó un plan de 12 semanas y se volvió el mejor estudiante de su clase" Y luego que la "hoja de trabajo" tan aclamada sea una triste hoja con una tabla de 2 columnas. Me esperaba algo más estructurado un plan con fases y toda una teoría psicológica no sé, fue horrible leer esto

[slowmokim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đáng đọc với một đứa như toi, thường hay bày kế hoạch dài hạn thật hoành tráng rồi dăm ba ngày xếp xó. Có những thông tin toi đã biết từ trước nhưng được sách sắp xếp cụ thể và trật tự hơn. Có nhiều phần khá tâm đắc, ví dụ như thay đổi tư duy sao cho bản thân tìm ra và tôn trọng tầm nhìn - điều mà toi thường cho nó là văn vở không làm đến nơi đến chốn.


Nhiều ý trùng lặp, phải chi mở rộng thêm 5 giai đoạn trong chu trình thay đổi nữa thì 💯, lần nào toi cũng vướng “giai đoạn lạc quan khi chưa nắm thông tin” -> “bi quan khi đã nắm thông tin” -> bỏ cuộc.

[Bruce Harpham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book after having read the original "12 week year" several times. I was disappointed. It is a short book once you factor in the dozens of pages of blank exercises. This book would have been perfect as a PDF download companion for the original book. That said, there was still some value in using it. I would only recommend this book on the condition that you read the original "12 week year" book and wanted to get in more details.