04/08/2023, 14:42 Shortform | The 12 Week Year

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The 12 Week Year

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Chapter 1: Success Begins in the Mind

Society tells us that changing our actions leads to better results. This advice is not completely wrong,
but the focus is. A shift in actions without a shift in mindset only leads to marginal improvements. To
truly reach your full potential and achieve your goals, you must change your perspective about the
nature of work.

Annualization Versus Periodization

Real progress cannot be made when you base your execution plan on attaining yearly results.
However, most businesses set annual goals and create 12-month plans for increasing profits and
productivity. You also do this in your own life. You set New Year’s resolutions on January 1 and
commit to changing your life by December 31. But this type of thinking hinders your success and
wastes valuable time during the year.

Annualized thinking is when you set a goal for the end of the year and believe you have all the time
in the world to achieve it. December is beyond comprehension at the start of a new year, so you
have no sense of urgency in working toward your goal. You dole out the required steps to achieve
your goal over several months, and if you get behind in your plan, you reason you still have months
ahead to catch up. This thought becomes the mantra for the rest of the year, and months go by
without any implementation of actions that lead to change.

You also assume that despite your lack of efforts during the year, something significant will happen
at the beginning of the last quarter to jumpstart your progress. You continue to put off important
actions while you wait for this magical surge in productivity to appear in October.

The Magic of the Fourth Quarter

A surge in productivity definitely happens in the fourth quarter, but there is nothing magical about it.
This surge is called the “year-end push,” wherein the timeline for your plan to come to fruition
reaches the final phase, and the proximity of your self-imposed deadline fills you with a new sense of
urgency.

For many companies, the last 60 days of the year define their yearly success. Employees are
suddenly laser-focused on the tasks required to meet their goals, and procrastination and
superfluous activities fall to the side. In fact, most businesses increase production and output by
30% to 40% in the last quarter.

Although December 31 is an arbitrary deadline, it’s still a deadline, and studies show that people are
more capable of accomplishing important tasks when there is a ticking clock. Deadlines redefine
your work routine by promoting motivation and accountability. And the knowledge that you can relax
once you’ve crossed the finish line is a big motivator. All your hard work and excessive effort will be
rewarded when the year is up, and you can celebrate and look forward to a fresh start in the coming

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04/08/2023, 14:42 Shortform | The 12 Week Year
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