The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months

Chapter 4

Throw Out the Annual Plan

Once you have a clear vision of where you want to go, you will need a plan to get there. Imagine yourself driving across country on a family vacation without a map. You will probably agree that this is not a good idea!

“A vision without a plan is a pipe dream.”

Having a plan to achieve your vision and your professional goals is even more essential than having a map to navigate a cross-country trek. Yet the sad truth is that most individuals spend more time planning a trip than they do planning their business.

Working from a plan has three distinct benefits:

1. It reduces mistakes.

2. It saves time.

3. It provides focus.

Planning allows you to think through in advance the best approach to achieving your goals. You make your mistakes on paper, which reduces miscues during implementation.

In addition, studies have shown that planning saves significant time and resources. This may seem paradoxical. In fact, many people feel that if they are not constantly doing, they are not productive. The reality is that planning is some of the most productive time you can have.

Finally, planning—like a good road map—keeps you focused and on purpose. This is vital, as there are all kinds of day-to-day distractions to pull you off course. Your plan continually brings you back to the strategically important items.

12 Week Planning

Like no other approach that we are aware of, 12 week planning delivers these benefits and then some over traditional annual planning. ...