Title: The 12-Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months
Authors: Brian P. Moran & Michael Lennington
Reviewed by: Lisa J. Jackson (aka Lisa Haselton), The Business Guild
(This book review was first published in the fall 2021 issue of Flackery, the quarterly digital magazine for small business owners)
I thoroughly enjoy finding a book that gives me a vibrant “ah ha” epiphany, and this is one of those. When we have more time to do something, it’s easy to put it off, to stretch the deadline as far as possible. Or at least I do.
The 12-Week Year proposes shifting ‘annualized thinking’ in measuring success to twelve weeks.
It’s a straightforward and engaging read with clear explanations for why changing our mindset about goal deadlines is beneficial and how shifting our mindset from an annual focus to a quarterly one can reap more benefits through greater productivity.
The authors talk about the advantages of time blocking and creating the time management system that works best for you to remove the tendency to move goals forward month to month or quarter to quarter.
Shifting from a 12-month to a 12-week mindset is about breaking our ingrained habits and updating the systems we’ve grown comfortable with. And how about this bonus: every quarter has 13 weeks, so after working through your 12-week goals, you have a week to review your achievements and celebrate them before tackling your next 12 weeks.
There are case studies and additional resources in the book to support their suggestions. The authors push their own program, which may appeal to some readers, but a lot is gleaned from these pages alone.
I’m thankful someone recommended this to me this year. Give the book a read and try the 12-week goal setting method for one quarter. I bet you’ll feel inspired and amazed when you review your results in the 13th week. I’m thankful someone recommended this to me this year. Give the book a read and try the 12-week goal setting method for one quarter. I bet you’ll feel inspired and amazed when you review your results in the 13th week.