How to ACTUALLY Achieve Your Goals in 2025

Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses the core concepts from *The 12-Week Year* by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington, offering a system to achieve goals faster and more effectively. The key lessons include creating urgency by thinking in 12-week sprints, starting with a clear and compelling vision for your future, and tracking both lead and lag indicators to measure progress. By adopting this system, you can overcome procrastination, stay focused, and achieve more in less time. The speaker also shares personal experiences of using the system to make lasting changes in his habits and goals.

Takeaways

• 😀 A 12-week year creates urgency, forcing you to act now rather than procrastinating with an annual mindset.
• 😀 Instead of focusing on 12 months, break down big goals into manageable 12-week sprints with weekly actions.
• 😀 The concept of 'annualization' leads to procrastination because the long time frame reduces urgency.
• 😀 A 12-week year promotes immediate course correction, allowing you to get back on track quickly if you miss a week.
• 😀 Starting with a clear and compelling vision of your long-term future helps prioritize your goals and actions.
• 😀 A strong vision helps overcome short-term comfort, making it easier to push through obstacles and distractions.
• 😀 Creating a compelling vision of your life in 5, 10, or 3 years keeps you focused and motivated to take action.
• 😀 Without a compelling vision, everything becomes optional, and procrastination becomes easier to justify.
• 😀 Lag indicators (results like weight loss or exam scores) are delayed, so focusing on lead indicators (actions like exercise or studying) keeps you on track.
• 😀 Tracking progress through lead indicators provides real-time feedback, helping you make adjustments and stay motivated to reach your goals.
• 😀 Effective scorekeeping through measurement helps confront the reality of your progress, boosting confidence and increasing the likelihood of success.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind the '12-week year' concept introduced in the book?

The '12-week year' concept emphasizes breaking the year into 12-week sprints rather than following the traditional 12-month cycle. This creates a sense of urgency, helping individuals stay focused and make more progress in a shorter period of time.

Why does thinking of the year as 12 months often lead to procrastination?

Thinking of the year as 12 months leads to procrastination because individuals feel they have plenty of time. Missing a workout or delaying a goal feels less urgent when the deadline is far off, which leads to putting things off until later.

How does creating a sense of urgency help in achieving goals?

Creating urgency by breaking the year into 12-week sprints forces you to act with purpose and commitment. Deadlines are nearer, so you're less likely to procrastinate and more likely to focus on achieving your goals quickly.

What role does a vision play in achieving long-term goals?

A compelling vision helps individuals align their short-term actions with long-term goals. When you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve in the future, it becomes easier to prioritize actions that contribute to that vision, even when it feels uncomfortable.

What mistake did the speaker make when first trying the '12-week year' system?

The speaker initially failed to create a clear and compelling vision for their future. Without this vision, they were unable to stay consistent with their goals, which led to setbacks like gaining weight and not making progress on their YouTube channel.

How did the speaker overcome their previous failures in sticking to goals?

The speaker overcame their previous failures by re-reading 'The 12-Week Year,' creating a clearer and more compelling vision for their future, and checking that vision regularly to stay motivated. This helped them prioritize long-term goals over short-term comfort.

What are lead and lag indicators, and why are they important?

Lead indicators are actions or behaviors that directly influence the results you want to achieve, such as how often you go to the gym or how many hours you spend studying. Lag indicators are the end results, like the weight you've lost or the grade you've received. Tracking lead indicators helps you measure progress in real time and adjust your actions accordingly.

Why is it problematic to only track lag indicators?

Tracking only lag indicators can be misleading because they represent the outcome of actions over time. There is often a delay before results show up, and by then, it might feel like you're not making progress, which could demotivate you from continuing. Tracking lead indicators gives you immediate feedback on whether you're on the right path.

What is the benefit of effective scorekeeping in achieving goals?

Effective scorekeeping provides a reality check and helps you see if you're on track to reach your goals. By focusing on both lead and lag indicators, it removes emotions from the evaluation process and forces you to confront your true performance, allowing you to make necessary adjustments.

How did the speaker use a Notion template to help with goal tracking?

The speaker used a Notion template to organize and track their 12-week year progress. This template helped them visualize their goals, measure their lead and lag indicators, and stay consistent with their actions. They found the template helpful in holding themselves accountable and staying on course.