Get Ahead of 99% of people (*in just 3 month) - 12 WEEK YEAR

Summary

The video script presents a compelling approach to goal setting and productivity through the lens of 'The 12 Week Year' by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington. It challenges the traditional annual planning model, suggesting it's inefficient and delays achievement. Instead, the authors propose a 12-week cycle that eliminates seasonal distractions, shortens planning horizons for more accurate action plans, and accelerates the sense of urgency, leading to more frequent accomplishments and course corrections. The script outlines a four-step process: envisioning a clear goal, planning execution, controlling the process through weekly reviews and adjustments, and measuring progress with an emphasis on execution over results. Additional tips include time management, focusing on strengths, and the importance of sleep and rest for maintaining productivity. The summary aims to distill the core message of the book into a concise and engaging format.

Takeaways

• 📅 **12-Week Year Concept**: The traditional 12-month planning is less effective; instead, adopt a 12-week year where each week counts as a month to increase productivity and urgency.
• 🎯 **Clear Vision**: Before setting goals, have a clear vision of what you want to achieve by the end of the year, imagining a perfect year outcome.
• 📝 **Plan Execution**: Identify key goals and the essential tasks required to achieve them, breaking them down into a 12-week plan with clear weekly objectives.
• 🤔 **Ask 'Who', Not 'How'**: Shift your focus from figuring out how to do tasks to identifying who can do them for you, leveraging the expertise of others.
• 🔄 **Control Your Process**: Regularly review your progress and adjust your weekly plans to ensure you're on track to meet your goals.
• 📊 **Measure Progress**: Use two types of measurements: one for results and another for execution, focusing more on execution to ensure tasks are completed.
• ⏰ **Time Management**: Divide your day into strategic, buffer, and breakout blocks to manage time effectively and reduce interruptions.
• 🚫 **Work-Life Imbalance**: Recognize that work-life balance is a myth; instead, create intentional imbalances by focusing energy on key areas of life at different times.
• 🎯 **Limit Goals**: Avoid setting too many goals which can lead to spreading yourself too thin and reduce the chances of success.
• 🛌 **Sleep Well**: Prioritize sleep as it is crucial for productivity and overall well-being, despite the tendency to sacrifice it during busy times.
• 🎉 **Celebrate Progress**: Even if you don't reach your goals, celebrate the progress made and use it as motivation to start the next 12-week cycle.

Q & A

What is the main argument of the book '12 Week Year' by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington?

The main argument of the book '12 Week Year' is that traditional annualized planning and goal setting are ineffective and waste time. Instead, the authors propose a 12-week year program where each week counts as a month, which keeps the deadlines in sight and increases productivity and urgency.

How does the 12-week year program differ from traditional annual planning?

The 12-week year program differs from traditional annual planning by eliminating the concept of seasons and making each week count as a month. This approach emphasizes the importance of each day and week, leading to more frequent productivity spikes and earlier goal achievement.

What is the significance of focusing on execution rather than results in the context of the 12-week year program?

Focusing on execution rather than results is significant because it ensures that the necessary actions are being taken consistently. This approach increases the likelihood of achieving goals, as it is the consistent execution of tasks that ultimately leads to the desired results.

What is the 'who' question as mentioned in the script, and why is it important?

The 'who' question is a strategic approach to task completion that involves identifying who can do the task for you, rather than how you can do it yourself. It's important because it leverages the expertise of others, saves time, and can improve the quality of output by involving professionals in the tasks.

How does managing your time by splitting your day into blocks help in achieving goals?

Managing your time by splitting your day into blocks helps in achieving goals by creating dedicated time for strategic tasks, buffer tasks, and rest. This method minimizes interruptions and ensures that high-priority tasks are given the attention they need.

What is the concept of 'intentional imbalance' in the context of work-life balance?

The concept of 'intentional imbalance' suggests that instead of trying to equally balance all areas of life, one should intentionally focus more time and energy on one or two areas that are most important for achieving their goals. This approach allows for more energy to be directed towards the areas that will yield the most significant results.

Why is creating a routine important for successful execution of a plan?

Creating a routine is important for successful execution of a plan because it provides structure and consistency. A routine helps to automate certain tasks, reducing the need for decision-making and ensuring that tasks are completed as planned.

What is the significance of sleep in the context of productivity and achieving goals?

Sleep is crucial for productivity and achieving goals because it allows the mind and body to rest and recharge. Lack of sleep can lead to decreased focus, poor decision-making, and reduced energy levels, which can hinder progress towards goals.

How does multitasking affect one's ability to achieve goals?

Multitasking can negatively affect one's ability to achieve goals because it spreads attention too thin across multiple tasks. This can lead to reduced focus, increased stress, and a lower quality of work, ultimately resulting in mediocre outcomes.

What is the importance of celebrating progress, even if the goal is not fully achieved?

Celebrating progress is important because it acknowledges the effort and steps taken towards the goal. It provides motivation and a positive reinforcement that can help maintain momentum and encourage continued effort, even if the goal has not been fully achieved.

What is the four-step formula outlined in the script for achieving goals?

The four-step formula outlined in the script is: 1) Create a Clear Vision of your goals, 2) Plan how you will execute your vision, 3) Control your process by evaluating the past week and planning for the new week, and 4) Measure your progress, focusing more on execution.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Accelerating Goal Achievement with the 12-Week Year

The first paragraph introduces the concept of the 12-Week Year, a method that aims to accomplish in 12 weeks what typically takes a year. Authored by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington, the book criticizes traditional annual goal-setting as inefficient. It proposes a restructured time management approach where weeks replace months, emphasizing the significance of daily and weekly productivity. The authors argue that this method keeps deadlines in sight, allowing for more frequent assessment and course correction, and enables more frequent periods of relaxation and celebration upon achieving goals. The paragraph outlines a four-step process: Vision, Execution Planning, Process Control, and Progress Measurement, advocating for dreaming big and planning meticulously to achieve set goals efficiently.

05:00

🤔 The Power of 'Who' Over 'How' in Delegation

The second paragraph shifts the focus from how to achieve tasks to who can achieve them, referencing Dan Sullivan's book 'Who Not How'. It suggests that asking 'who' instead of 'how' can lead to more efficient delegation and better use of expertise. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of controlling one's process by reviewing past progress and planning for the week ahead. It introduces the concept of measuring both the results and the execution, with a strong recommendation to focus on execution for a higher chance of success. The author shares personal tips for effective time management, including managing time in blocks, maintaining an intentional imbalance in life priorities, and avoiding multitasking.

10:01

🛠️ Implementing the 12-Week Year Strategy with Practical Tips

The third paragraph provides practical advice for implementing the strategies discussed in the video. It covers managing time effectively by dividing the day into strategic, buffer, and breakout blocks. The paragraph busts the myth of work-life balance, advocating instead for intentional imbalance by focusing energy on key areas of life at different times. It advises against setting too many goals, creating a routine, designing a model week, leveraging personal strengths, and the importance of saying no to non-essential commitments. The speaker also warns against the dangers of multitasking and the acceptance that not all tasks will be completed. Finally, the paragraph encourages celebrating progress, even if goals are not fully met, and highlights the importance of sleep for productivity and overall well-being.

Keywords

💡12 Week Year

The '12 Week Year' is a concept introduced by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington, which challenges the traditional annual goal-setting approach. It suggests that by treating a year as a series of 12-week periods, individuals and businesses can achieve more in less time. This method emphasizes the importance of each day and week, and aims to increase productivity and goal achievement by shortening the planning horizon and focusing on immediate and actionable tasks. It is central to the video's theme of efficient goal achievement.

💡Annual Goals

Annual goals are targets that individuals or organizations set at the beginning of a year with the intention of achieving them by the end of the year. In the context of the video, the author argues that setting annual goals and planning over a 12-month period is ineffective and can lead to procrastination and missed targets. The video advocates for a shift towards the 12-week planning model as a more efficient alternative.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of an individual or system in converting inputs into outputs. In the video, productivity is closely linked to the concept of the '12 Week Year,' where the goal is to increase productivity by setting shorter, more focused goals and maintaining a high level of urgency and focus throughout the period. The video suggests that by concentrating efforts into 12-week sprints, productivity can be significantly enhanced.

💡Vision

A vision is a clear and compelling image of the future that guides decision-making and actions. In the video, creating a vision is the first step in the four-step formula for achieving goals within a 12-week period. It involves dreaming big and envisioning what a perfect year would look like, which serves as a foundation for setting goals and planning execution. The video emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision before embarking on the planning process.

💡Execution

Execution refers to the act of carrying out a plan or strategy. The video outlines the need for a well-thought-out execution plan after establishing a clear vision. It involves identifying key goals, listing the tasks necessary to achieve those goals, and planning how to get them done within the 12-week timeframe. Execution is a critical component in the '12 Week Year' methodology and is emphasized as a key factor in achieving goals.

💡Process Control

Process control involves monitoring and managing the steps in a process to ensure that it is running as intended. In the video, controlling the process is the third step of the formula and includes reviewing progress from the previous week and planning for the upcoming week. It is essential for maintaining focus and ensuring that tasks are completed on time, which is crucial for the success of the 12-week plan.

💡Progress Measurement

Progress measurement is the act of assessing how far one has moved toward achieving a goal. The video discusses the importance of measuring both the results and the execution of tasks. It suggests that focusing on execution, such as the number of tasks completed, can be more effective than solely measuring results, as it provides a clearer indication of whether the plan is on track and helps maintain motivation.

💡Strategic Tasks

Strategic tasks are those activities that are directly aligned with achieving an individual's or organization's strategic objectives. The video emphasizes the importance of focusing on strategic tasks during the 'strategic block' of the day, which is a dedicated time period for working on high-impact tasks without distractions. These tasks are critical to the success of the 12-week plan and should be prioritized.

💡Buffer Block

A buffer block, as mentioned in the video, is a time management technique where a specific time period is allocated for handling smaller, less critical tasks. This block is used to manage interruptions and routine tasks such as checking emails or making personal calls. By designating a buffer block, the video suggests that one can maintain focus on more important tasks during their strategic block.

💡Breakout Block

The breakout block is a time management strategy described in the video where time is set aside for rest and recharge. This block is intended to prevent burnout and maintain high levels of productivity. It is crucial for allowing the mind to rest, which in turn enables individuals to work at their full capacity during their strategic and buffer blocks.

💡Intentional Imbalance

Intentional imbalance is a concept presented in the video that suggests focusing time and energy on one or two areas of life at a time, rather than trying to equally balance all aspects. This approach is based on the idea that different phases of life may require different levels of commitment and that success comes from strategically directing effort rather than spreading it thin across all areas.

Highlights

The 12 Week Year program by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington challenges traditional annual goal setting and proposes a more effective 12-week planning cycle.

Seasons are irrelevant in the 12-week year; each week takes the place of a month, emphasizing the importance of daily and weekly productivity.

With a 12-week deadline always in sight, there's less tendency to procrastinate, as the pressure to produce results is constant.

A 12-week plan allows for more accurate planning and execution by reducing reliance on long-term assumptions and theories.

The 12-week year enables more frequent course corrections and feedback, avoiding the year-end surprise of failure or success.

The program offers four opportunities for relaxation and celebration, promoting a healthier work-life balance.

Visioning is crucial before setting goals; one should dream big and envision what a perfect year looks like without immediate concern for how to achieve it.

Identifying clear goals and planning key tasks is essential for execution; focusing on a few essential goals can lead to better results.

The 'who' question is more important than the 'how' for effective delegation and leveraging the expertise of others.

Controlling the process involves weekly reviews of progress and planning for the upcoming week to stay on track.

Measuring progress is vital, with a focus on execution rather than just results, as it provides a clearer picture of the actions leading to outcomes.

Maintaining a high execution score (85% or more) increases the likelihood of achieving goals.

Time management is improved by dividing the day into strategic, buffer, and breakout blocks to optimize focus and productivity.

Work-life balance is a myth; intentional imbalance by focusing energy on key areas leads to success.

Avoiding too many goals prevents energy drain and increases the likelihood of success.

Creating a routine and a model week helps ensure plans are realistic and achievable.

Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses in task selection leads to more efficient execution.

Saying 'no' to non-essential commitments allows for better focus on strategic tasks.

Avoiding multitasking and focusing on one task at a time improves the quality of work and prevents burnout.

Accepting that not all tasks will be completed and focusing on strategic tasks is a realistic approach to productivity.

Celebrating progress, even if goals are not fully met, is important for maintaining motivation and starting fresh cycles.

Sleep is crucial for productivity and should not be compromised, despite its tendency to be the first thing sacrificed.

Transcripts

I have a question would you like to

achieve your one-year goals in just 3

months if you answered yes then keep

watching because today I'm going to

summarize a book called 12 week year get

more done in 12 weeks than others do in

12 months written by Brian Moran and

Michael lennington most businesses and

people set annual goals and create

12-month plans you also do this in your

own life you set a New Year's resolution

on January 1st and commit to changing

your life by December 31st the author's

of the book argue that this type of

thinking and planning is not effective

wastes so much time and stops you from

achieving your goals if annualized

planning doesn't work then what is the

alternative the authors argue that a

better alternative is the 12we year

program and here's why first within the

12we year program Seasons don't exist

there is no summer there is no winter

there is no Autumn a week now takes the

place of a month and each day accounts

for a week through this lens you can see

how important each day and week become

second all the excitement and

productivity of the year-end push now

happens four times a year your deadline

is always in sight so you stop telling

yourself that there's still plenty of

time if you have a slow week you might

be able to make it up the following week

but you know you can't have too many bad

weeks if you are going to be successful

at the end of 12 weeks this mindset

makes every day important and the need

to produce results every week becomes

vital third you can't possibly predict

every action you will take over a

12-month period so any plan you make

will be based on assumptions and

theories in contrast a 12-week plan

removes assumptions because the time

frame is short enough for you to make an

accurate plan and execute it

successfully fourth instead of waiting

until December to find out if you failed

or succeeded you find out much sooner

and course correct no need to wait

another year finally the fifth benefit

is the relaxation and celebration you

look forward to after all your hard work

you now have four opportunities to

reflect on your achievements and take a

few days off to recharge and when you

come back you have a fresh start again

if for some reason your first 12 weeks

didn't work out as you had hoped you

don't have to wait another year you have

three more chances to get it right and

finish the year strong if these benefits

excite you then here is the four-step

formula step number one

Vision everything around you such as

your computer or the phone you're using

now is created Twice first it started as

an idea or Vision in somebody's head and

second it was created in physical form

in some factories what I'm trying to say

is this before you set goals you need to

get crystal clear about your destination

about your vision for the year imagine

it this way imagine the year has ended

and you look back and see that you have

achieved all the things for that year

what does does that perfect year look

like how much are you earning do you

finally have your own business are you

earning 10 grand per month are you in

great shape as you have always wanted

this is a kind of dreaming stage you are

dreaming about your perfect year don't

let your analytical mind come in and say

how the hell will you achieve all that

in 12 weeks it's not

realistic this is not the time for how

we will get there as well it is time to

dream and dream big why dream big

because soon you will push yourself

beyond your comfort zone and if it is

not big and exciting enough you will

give up step number two plan your

execution now that you know where you

want to go it's time to plan how you

will get there first you need to find a

clear goal you might have more than one

goal but don't overwhelm yourself with

too many goals the key is to identify a

few essential ones that if achieved

would bring you the results you want

second list all the key tasks for that

goal and plan how you will get them done

apply the same logic you applied to

goals and focus on key tasks for example

your goal might be to earn $120,000 for

the year now how do you plan to earn

that amount of money within 12 weeks

will you earn 10 grand in the first week

another 10 grand in the second week and

continue at this rate for the rest of

the time or will the first four weeks

have no earnings but in the remaining

eight weeks you will earn 15 grand per

month the goal at this stage is to plan

each week and identify what results need

to be achieved by the end of the week

and what tasks need to be done each week

needs to be planned in advance and it

should look like this the goal at the

top of the page for that week and the

list of tasks to achieve that goal now

when you are planning one of the most

often questions you will be asking

yourself is how how do I get this task

done within 1 week or how do I get this

big goal achieved within 3 weeks

let me tell you a little secret you are

asking the wrong question you shouldn't

be asking how you should be asking who I

recently read a book called who not how

by one of the greatest business coaches

Dan Sullivan Dan says when we want

something done we are trained to ask how

can I do this this is the wrong question

the right question is who can do this

for me for example if you need to design

a logo you need to ask who can do this

for me instead of how can I do this you

might say well I have no idea how to

find a logo designer so I will figure

out how I do it myself well if you don't

know who can design a logo then you need

to find another person who will find you

a logo designer again you need another

who question not a how question this

sounds so simple and it is simple but

don't let the Simplicity fool you asking

who is not natural for us so it will

take quite some effort to shift your

mindset once you start asking the who

question the doors open up for you it

saves you so much time and money plus

improves the quality of your output

because you are involving others who are

experts at what they do step number

three control your process the idea is

simple at the beginning of each week

ideally on Monday review the progress

you made in the last week did you

complete all the tasks for the past week

or not in the next step I will explain

how to measure your progress once the

evaluation of the last week is done then

create a new weekly plan for the coming

week check your weekly plan every day to

ensure you are completing the right

tasks and the timeline of your week

still makes sense if it does then keep

moving if not review the plan to

restructure the tasks in order to

achieve the week's

goal step number four four measure your

progress you can't know if you are

progressing without measuring it this is

actually one of my favorite parts of the

book and here is why I like it the

author recommends two types of measuring

systems one for the results and another

one for your execution for example let

us say you want to lose 1 kilo of weight

per week and to achieve that you have

planned that you will exercise five

times a week and need 2,000 calories a

day using this example we can say that

measurement of the result is the amount

of weight lost in one week did you lose

1 kilo in the past week or not this is

the measurement of the result however

the measurement of execution is

different it is the number of tasks you

completed to achieve that result in this

example it was 5 days of exercising and

eating under 2,000 calories per day did

you exercise for 5 days and eat under

2,000 calories every single day if yes

then you have a 100% execution score

this this is the measurement of

execution the author says you should

focus more on measuring execution rather

than the results people who focus on

more execution have a higher chance of

reaching their goals compared to people

who focus on measuring their results

only using the above weight loss example

if the only thing you measure is the

result losing 1 kilo per week then you

will probably get discouraged once you

step on the scale and see that you

haven't lost anything for that week on

the other hand if you focus on the

execution you know that result will come

because you are doing all the right

things the author says if you complete

85% or more of your tasks every week

results will come and you will reach

your goals you might not see the result

for one week but the next week you will

probably see it if you stick to

executing your plan you might ask what

if the result doesn't come after 2 or 3

weeks well that means something is wrong

with your plan and it has to change for

example maybe you have calculated the

calories wrong you had to eat5 100

calories instead of 2,000 in order to

achieve the result you wanted this is

why it is important to measure both the

result and execution and keep them

separate so to quickly summarize the

four-step formula number one create a

Clear Vision number two plan how you

will execute your vision number three

control your process by evaluating the

past week and planning for the new week

four measure your progress and focus

more on execution if you would like to

stop watching at this point you can do

that you already got the core of the

message of the book in my opinion

however I have 10 small tips that will

make it very easy for you to implement

this four-step formula here they are tip

number one manage your time well by

splitting your day into blocks it takes

approximately 15 minutes for you to get

back to your tasks when you're stopped

to check emails or text messages on

average 28% of employees days are spent

managing interruptions and refocusing on

what they are doing in a 40-hour work

week that is 11 hours of time wasted

that is why the author advises

separating your day into three blocks

block number one strategic block this is

the time block where you work on

strategic tasks minimum 3 hours no

emails no talking to colleagues no

daydreaming about what you are going to

eat for lunch block number two buffer

block the purpose of this block is to

handle those small tasks such as emails

or calling your mom Etc block number

three breakout block success is not

about working hard all the time you must

allow your mind to rest and recharge so

you can always work at your full

capacity and focus tip number two work

life balance is a lie you struggle to

find a balance between work family

friends health and personal time so you

decide to give equal time and energy to

each of them the problem is that when

you do that you overextend yourself and

become frustrated so success can't be

achieved by balancing your time in each

area of Life success happens when you

intentionally create an imbalance and

direct the time and energy toward one or

two areas of your life different moments

in life will require different amounts

of energy and there is nothing wrong

with that the purpose of intentional

imbalance is to put your energy where

you want it to go tip number three avoid

having too many goals too many goals

mean too many strategies and obstacles

they will quickly drain your energy and

will make you give up tip number four

create a routine your execution will

suffer a lot if you don't form a routine

you need a routine for everything from

your sleep to the time you work tip

number five create your model week your

model week is kind of like your perfect

scenario where you get everything done

once you start designing your model week

you will quickly be able to say if your

plan is realistic or not if the plan

isn't n realistic you will not be able

to find space on your weekly calendar to

put some of the tasks make sure to do

this before you start your week one tip

number six avoid focusing on tasks that

involve your weaknesses most tasks you

are working on should be based on your

strengths not your weaknesses tip number

seven you are allowed to say no when

someone invites you somewhere or someone

asks you to commit to something say no

as often as you can tip number eight

don't multitask when you spread your

attention too thin over multiple

directions you are not fully applying

yourself to any tasks you are overworked

and tired burnout is a likely result and

in the end you haven't mastered anything

you've just become mediocre at several

things tip number nine some tasks will

not get done and it is okay many people

believe they can do it all and work day

and night to catch up with everything on

their plate they focus on what they can

do quickly to get it out of the way

which puts their strategic tasks in

danger some tasks will eventually fall

through the cracks and it is okay

however those tasks should never be the

Strategic ones tip number 10

celebrate even if you didn't reach your

goal you still have three more chances

and you probably made tons of progress

so celebrate and start again finally

here is a bonus tip from my personal

experience sleep well I can't emphasize

the importance of sleep it is the best

productivity tip you will ever need I

know how much my life suffers when I

don't have enough sleep but still very

often sleep is the first thing somehow I

end up sacrificing when things get tough

despite the fact that I know how

important it is so keep an eye on your

sleep this is the area I am doing my

best to improve as well in the end I

would like to mention that the reason I

summarize this book isn't that I know a

lot about planning it's quite the

opposite I quite suck at it and this was

the reason I picked up this book I

usually read books on the areas that I

want to improve and this was one of them

I hope it was a useful video thanks for

watching