The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months

by Brian P. Moran

Once you understand the linkage between your life vision and your business success, you can define exactly what level of income or production your business must deliver in order to support your complete vision.

Have you ever felt like your brain was in conflict with itself?

Researchers have found that a portion of the brain, the amygdala, reacts negatively when we are facing uncertainty and risk. This response is quite helpful in avoiding danger and staying alive. Unfortunately, when we imagine the future as being vastly different from today, we experience uncertainty because we don’t know how to create and maintain the future we are imagining. When this happens the amygdala kicks in.

When you start to envision a future that stretches your comfort zone and is significantly bigger and bolder than what you are currently living, the amygdala tries to shut down the process before you do anything that could be detrimental.

The good news is there is also a portion of your brain, called the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that acts as a counterbalance to the amygdala. The PFC lights up when you look out over open vistas, and interestingly, when you imagine greatness for yourself in the future.

neuroplasticity.

The good news is that you can change your brain simply by what you think about. You have the ability to strengthen and develop your brain by thinking about a compelling future for yourself, by regularly and repeatedly thinking about an inspiring vision where you emotionally connect with the life you desire.

“A vision without a plan is a pipe dream.”

1. It reduces mistakes. 2. It saves time. 3. It provides focus.

You make your mistakes on paper, which reduces miscues during implementation.

The reality is that planning is some of the most productive time you can have.

The reality is that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to determine what your daily actions should be 11 or 12 months into the future. That is why annual plans are generally objective-based.

Effective planning strikes a working balance between too much complexity and too little detail.

Consistent action on the critical tasks needed to reach your goal is the key to getting what you want in life.

If you want to know what your future holds, look to your actions; they are the best predictor of your future. You want to predict your future health, look at your current eating and exercise habits.

Weekly plans allow you to structure your activities so that you are focused on both the long-term and short-term tasks that are truly important. This allows you to stay focused and productive in the moment instead of getting caught up in all the noise and distractions that easily derail you.

A 12 Week Year creates greater focus by highlighting the value of each week. With 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.

Your weekly plan encompasses your strategies and priorities, your long-term and short-term tasks, and your commitments in the context of time. It helps you focus on the elements of your plan that must happen each week to keep you on track with your 12 Week Year goals. Your goals in turn keep you on track with your vision.

Measurement drives the execution process. It is the anchor of reality.

Lead indicators are the activities that produce the end results—for instance the number of sales calls, or referrals

lead indicator you have is a measure of your execution.

If you are not hitting your goal, you need to know whether it is due to a flaw in plan content or in execution, because there is a big difference in how to handle these two breakdowns. A breakdown in plan content occurs when strategies and tactics are not effective, while a breakdown in execution occurs when you fail to fully implement the plan tactics.

Remember that your plan contains the top priorities that will add the most value and have the greatest impact. In other words, you only need to be 85 percent effective on the top priorities to achieve excellence!

Productive tension is the uncomfortable feeling you get when you’re not doing the things you know you need to do. Our natural inclination when confronted with discomfort is to resolve it.

easy way out is to simply stop using the system and turn off the light that is shining on your performance breakdowns.

productive tension as a catalyst for change. Instead of responding to the discomfort by bailing out, high achievers use the tension as an impetus to move forward. If you decide that quitting is not an option, then the discomfort of productive tension will eventually compel you to take action on your tactics.

the day is controlling you, and prevents you from performing at your best.

be more mindful about how you spend your time.

Living with clear intention goes against the powerful natural tendency to be reactive because it requires you to organize your life around your priorities and consciously choose those activities that align with your goals and vision.

There are three primary components of performance time: strategic blocks, buffer blocks, and breakout blocks.

3 blocks

Learn to use your time with greater intention and you will not only be more effective, but you will also feel a greater sense of control, less stress, and increased confidence.

versus a have-to. When something is a have-to it’s a burden, it’s cumbersome, and, at best, you meet the minimum standards; however, the realization that you ultimately have choice creates a very different scenario. When you choose to do something, you are able to tap your resources and give your best.

commitment is a personal promise. Keeping your promises to others builds trust and strong relationships, and keeping promises to yourself builds character, esteem, and success.

four keys to successful commitments: