TikTok got me. In January, every other video I got served was about the book The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington, so I did what the algorithm was encouraging me to do — I bought the book.
I read it in about a week, and my biggest takeaway was that I loved the templates and prompts scattered throughout the book. I don’t think everyone has to read the full book to gain insight into the 12-week process. If you’re somewhat well versed in time management processes, you can probably get away with sifting through the authors’ website for their template resources and still feel well-equipped to tackle the 12-week year. If you feel like you need mindset shifts and tactical advice, you’ll benefit from picking up the book. Overall, it’s an easy read that will leave you with a plan in hand.
This is my first week implementing the 12-week year, so I will report back in 3 months to see if it worked for me, but in the meantime, here’s what I learned from reading the book.
A lack of process control can break down the best-laid plans
Reading this book made me realize I am great at setting up plans and systems but less great at implementing them daily. Over a few weeks, I may change my systems around, thinking that the problem is the system when, in reality, it’s the fact that I’m not sitting down to write every day, for instance. I like that the book makes you think through where your process is falling apart. Does your process fail because you don’t have clear goals or strategies to achieve it or because you have a great plan that only stays on paper and is never put into practice?
A 12-week year doesn't ignore the year or your lifetime
The book's title can mislead anyone into believing that the goal is to think about their lives only 12 weeks at a time. One of the first exercises in the book asks you to jot down your lifelong aspirations (ex., to live financially free, to travel, to have kids) and then your 3-year vision. Once you have those, you will craft 12 weeks at a time with micro goals and tactics that support your larger vision.
You have to grade your performance each week
I felt this part of the book tied well to Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential book. The authors encourage you to establish a grading system that helps you better understand what worked and what didn’t work each week. Once you have that information, you can iterate to continue to reach your 12-week goals. This can be hard if you’re not used to offering self-feedback, but it can be a great way to strengthen that muscle.