Breaking the Cycle
We have been raised to function within the 12-month calendar year both personally and professionally. It might serve you well to have holidays and vacations mapped out for 364 days, but it’s making it difficult to successfully reach the goals you really want.
I know, I know - starting fresh in January with 12 full months and 52 hopeful weeks ahead seems so alluring, especially when you think all the cool kids are doing it.
The problems with looking 12 months down the road are:
You can’t envision December in January
You can’t actually envision December in January, or even in June. Not clearly, anyway. If we have learned nothing else it’s that lots of unexpected things out of our control can happen and shake up our world. Less planning time means there’s less of a chance that your plan will go awry.
Your starting points are rigid
Your starting points are rigid. And they are not in the now, so you can continually push things off. The first of the year, or the month. Next month, or next week. Monday - wait - next Monday. Not functioning consistently in the present moment allows for distraction.
There’s no sense of urgency
There’s no sense of urgency to check things off of your list that aren’t slated for the week you’re in. So it’s easy to curl up with a good book, take a nap, or procrastinate in your favorite way. And that leads to…
A frenzy of stress when you realize that things you vaguely planned months ago now require your attention immediately, as in yesterday. This triggers the 4th quarter panic - stealing time, rushing, and ignoring boundaries around your work schedule.
So ask yourself, how much are you not getting done, and are you ready to do something about it?
Changing your goal planning cycles from a set 12-month calendar to flexible 12-week time blocks is not about pressure, it’s about planning strategy that results in achieving goals in less time while getting more done. Here are two major reasons why I work in increments of 12 weeks.
Practicality
It's just not realistic to set annual goals. If it's January and you are setting annual goals, it's impossible to plan in any detail for things you want to do in August or November. You will have no idea where your business will be at that point, or what your competitors will be doing, or what will be going on in society in general.
Mindset Urgency
If you set an annual sales or income goal in January and you are missing it by a mile in April, how concerned will you be? My guess is not at all, because you cannot even SEE the goalpost at that point. Out of sight, out of mind. Urgency stimulates action and action creates results.
12 weeks is enough time to get a lot done AND it's short enough that you can plan with a lot of certainty. That, combined with only setting 1-3 goals at a time is the sweet spot. Rather than spinning your wheels, feeling scattered and out of control, you can actually focus, and achieve the goals.
Here are the benefits of working in these smaller blocks of time:
You can start right now, on a weekday at 2 in the afternoon if that’s when you start this plan. You do not have to wait for a specific time on a traditional 12-month calendar to begin.
You can be specific about the goals you want to achieve by prioritizing them, then focusing only on the top two or three.
Building a strategic action plan is simple because you can hone in on the tasks that you need to do to achieve your realistic goals and schedule them.
It creates a healthy urgency and requires you to work in the present, at a steady pace.
Big picture goals can look a lot more like dreams, and have elusive end dates like “someday” or “next year”. Concrete, shorter term goals however, feel possible. When you bring them closer, prioritize and strategize, you will be motivated to stay on track because you’ll be able to see the finish line.
Think you’re ready to break the old calendar cycle? I facilitate Path of Action Accountability groups to support my clients around goal setting, planning and achieving. Set up a call and I can tell you more.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution - Apply today