12 Week Year
Kristi Hudson
My mother recently told me about a book her company gave her at their annual meeting, The 12 Week Year. My mother is always reading 5-6 books at any given time, so it was quite surprising that she had received and read this one so quickly. The book outlines how to accomplish in 12 weeks, what most people won't accomplish in a year. The skeptic in me couldn't resist hitting the "Buy Now" button on Amazon to see just what authors Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington recommended we do to become more productive in our day-to-day lives.
I have been goal-oriented all of my life (a symptom of being the oldest of three siblings), and to be honest, I wasn't sure this book would provide me any tips or tricks that would make me more productive. Don't get me wrong. I am also a classic procrastinator when something doesn't pique my interest or get the creative juices flowing. The book outlines seven lessons and howyou can use them to set goals and meet them in a shorter period of time.
1. The Eight Elements of High Performance.
This chapter digs deep into the eight elements that are essential to performing at the highest level. Each element puts in place a critical step that is necessary for you to achieve your goal. The one that resonated with me the most was commitment. Although it encompassed so much, the importance of creating a vision to stay motivated and focused, was something that I realized I had been missing with my previous goals.
2. Create a Compelling Vision.
We all know that when you don't have a strong WHY, itiseasyto give up when thegoinggets tough. Nothing worth having is easy, and most people fail to accomplish their goals or resolutions because they jump ship at the first sign of discomfort.
3. Set 12-week Goals.
I have to say that I love this idea. How am I supposed to create a year-long goal without a crystal ball to show me what the future holds? It also helps you focus on the now and prioritize tasks that will have the most significant impact.
4. Break Your Goals into Action Plans.
"Identify and implement the critical few actions that you need to take to reach your goal," Moran and Lennington write. This simple step helped me to identify potential hurdles throughout my 12 weeks and to put a plan in place to overcome them.
5. Schedule Regular Reviews.
I have to admit that when I've set year-long goals in the past, after a month or two, I failed to ever look back or check in to see how I was doing in meeting those goals. Oops! The book recommends spending 15-20 minutes each week reviewing your 12-week goalsand structure yourweekto prioritize the tasks needed to achieve your goal.
6. The Four Keys to Successful Commitments.
This chapterfocuses on the core reason we all fail to follow through with our goals; discomfort. One of the things that I identified with is how easy it is to honor commitments made to others, yet fail to keep the promises I make to myself.
7. Carve Out Time for Strategic Work.
Identify your most productive time of day (early morning) and schedule tasks related to your goals during those times. Be strategic in how you plan out your day and your week. It's all about working smarter, not harder.
I read this bookfrom coverto cover on November 12, 2019. On November 15, 2019, I started my first 12-week year. I tackled a single goal because, for me, I had struggled to stick with it for more than 20 years. I committed to drink 1 gallon of water a day, eat healthy for 12 weeks, and work out for 30 minutes, five days a week. My measurables had nothingto do with pounds or inches lost. They were to complete those three tasks and nothing more.
As I am writing this, I am starting week 12.1 was able to identify some struggles in preparing for this journey, and I had some pop out of left field, but I recovered quickly. I get up each day and can't wait to get in the gym, my blood pressure was never high, but it has also never been this great, either. I have given up soda, and don't miss it. By the end of next week, I will have walked over 150 miles on the treadmill. The week before my 12-week journey, I struggled to walk a mile to my hotel room from the convention area. I am excited to complete my 12 weeks, not because I plan to give up anything that I have been doing, but because I am looking forward to what I will accomplish next.
Whetheryour goals are personal or professional, maybe even both, what do you have to lose? In my case, it was 30 pounds and counting. We can do anything for 12 weeks, so why not do something that inspires you, motivates you, and makes you feel better!
ยง Kristi Hudson is a certified professional compliance officer (CPCO). She serves as the Director of Business Relationships for ChiroHealthUSA where she has helped to educate DCs and CAs on establishing simple and compliant financial policies. You can contact Kristi at 888-719-9990 or [email protected], or you can visit the ChiroHealthUSA website at www.chirohealthusa.com.
