book.chapter Understanding periodization

In our fast-paced world, it is crucial to abandon the traditional concept of annualized thinking. Instead, we should adopt a mindset where every month, week, and day holds significance. The strategy of Periodization involves dividing the year into four distinct cycles, each spanning 12 weeks. The objective is to concentrate on achieving remarkable outcomes within each individual cycle, treating it as a standalone period. This approach redefines a year as a series of four 12-week segments, rather than a conventional 12-month timeframe. There are ten foundational principles that enable Periodization to enhance productivity effectively. One issue with setting goals for the entire year is that they often seem too distant at the start. This can lead to a lackadaisical attitude during the initial months, with the assumption that there is ample time to catch up later. By shifting focus away from annual goals and towards maximizing achievements in the forthcoming 12 weeks, you instill your work with greater purpose and intensity. Bringing the deadline closer can spur you into action, as the looming presence of a deadline is a powerful motivator. John Wooden, a legendary basketball coach, once said, "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." This statement underscores the importance of continuous learning and growth. Similarly, Henry Ford, the pioneering industrialist, remarked, "You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do," emphasizing the value of actions over intentions. The beauty of the 12 Week Year concept is that the deadline is perpetually close enough to remain in your field of vision, preventing it from slipping away unnoticed. This framework offers a time horizon that is sufficiently extensive to accomplish significant tasks, yet brief enough to instill a sense of urgency and a predisposition towards taking action. Human nature dictates that our behavior shifts as deadlines approach: we procrastinate less, we curtail or eliminate activities that evade our goals, and we concentrate more on what truly matters. The cornerstone of achieving more in any domain of human endeavor lies in possessing a compelling vision that resonates with you on an emotional level. If you envision a future that surpasses your current reality, you are motivated to initiate the changes necessary to realize that vision. Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington, authors of the 12 Week Year, assert that to create a breakthrough or ascend to the next level, one must navigate through fear, uncertainty, and discomfort. It is your personal vision that sustains you when challenges arise. A powerful personal vision ignites passion. Your business vision is not an isolated entity; it is in harmony with your personal vision. It is imperative to first articulate your desires in life across all dimensions that matter—spiritual, relational, familial, financial, lifestyle, health, and community. Once you have a clear understanding of your unique personal vision, you can then establish business and career objectives that are in alignment with and facilitate the realization of your personal vision. Achieving this alignment enables you to work with dedication and fervor to accomplish your goals. Robert K. Greenleaf, an advocate of servant leadership, once stated, "Behind every impossible achievement is a dreamer of impossible dreams," highlighting the power of visionary thinking. To accomplish as much in a 12-week span as you would typically achieve in a year is a bold ambition. To realize this, it is crucial to adhere to a written plan for three primary reasons: it minimizes errors, saves time, and provides focus. Unlike quarterly planning, which is rooted in outdated annualized thinking, 12-week planning treats each cycle as a new year and a fresh chance for excellence. To formulate your 12-week plan, begin by identifying three overarching goals for the upcoming cycle. Adopt the mindset that accomplishing these will render you successful, as they represent steady progress towards your long-term vision. For each goal, delineate the specific tactics you will employ, ensuring they are actionable, have a set deadline, and have designated responsibilities where necessary. Once your 12-week plan is in place, the next step is to take consistent and ongoing action to bring it to fruition. Execution is achieved through diligent follow-up, best accomplished by developing a weekly plan that aligns with your 12-week objectives. In practice, your weekly plan outlines specific time blocks dedicated to working uninterrupted on the tactics that contribute to your overall goals. A robust weekly plan also includes a weekly planning session to review previous progress and plan upcoming tactics, a brief daily planning session to set priorities, and a time plan to allocate when and where you will engage in activities aligned with your strategies and priorities. Ralph Waldo Emerson, the renowned essayist and philosopher, once said, "An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory," emphasizing the importance of taking action over merely theorizing. The 12-week plan encapsulates all the tactics necessary to achieve your goals, with each tactic assigned a specific week for completion. These tactics inform your weekly plan, which in turn dictates your daily actions. The weekly plan is essentially a segment of the 12-week plan, providing a clear roadmap for your efforts. Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington also highlight that the most accurate predictor of your future is your daily actions. Henry David Thoreau, the famous writer and philosopher, questioned, "It’s not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" This rhetorical question challenges us to evaluate the purpose behind our busyness. In the realm of business, scorekeeping is a fundamental aspect of competition. It allows us to determine success and pinpoint areas for improvement. Just as athletes and coaches keep track of scores and stats during a game, businesses must also measure their performance to gauge effectiveness. Unfortunately, many businesses neglect this practice, leaving them without a clear understanding of their efficacy. By developing a weekly scorecard that tracks critical activities, you can strive for excellence and gain an objective measure of your execution against your weekly plan. Being brutally honest and transparent with your scorecard is essential, as it can reveal areas where you need to improve and highlight your true strengths. The secret to condensing a year's worth of achievements into just 12 weeks lies in being intentional with your time. Research indicates that even the busiest professionals squander nearly two hours each day on random, reactive tasks. To enhance your productivity, you must be deliberate with your time, focusing on strategically important tasks. Instead of attempting to eliminate interruptions, adopt a positive strategy by scheduling regular time each week for these tasks. Allocate three types of time blocks in your schedule: - Strategic blocks, lasting three hours, are periods of uninterrupted focus, free from phones and the internet, where you channel your intellect and creativity towards groundbreaking results. Most people find that one strategic block per week suffices. - Buffer blocks are designated for handling low-value activities, which can vary from one 30-minute block per day to two one-hour blocks, one in the morning and one at the end of the day. By consolidating these activities, you take control of your day. - Breakout blocks, also three hours long, are for recharging your batteries, involving scheduled time away from the office to engage in enjoyable activities. By structuring your daily and weekly schedule with a combination of buffer, strategic, and breakout blocks, you can expand your overall performance time, leading to an immediate impact on your results. Accountability, as Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington explain, is not about facing consequences; it's about taking ownership of your results, regardless of circumstances. It involves making a conscious choice to rise above and enhance your productivity, rather than waiting for external factors like the economy or company developments. True accountability requires mental honesty and the courage to own your thoughts, actions, and outcomes. To maintain high performance, it's crucial to excel at fulfilling your commitments, whether to yourself or others. High performers don't reach their status by chance—they take aggressive, systematic actions to achieve greatness. Embracing the 12-week year means committing to the actions that will elevate you to excellence. Peter Drucker, a management consultant, once said, "Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans." Commitments shape our lives, supporting strong marriages, lasting relationships, driving results, and building character. There's a profound sense of empowerment in knowing that if you commit to something, you can rely on yourself without reservations. To be more productive, you must be fully committed. This involves having a clear and personally compelling reason for wanting to achieve results, understanding the core actions that will lead to those results, being willing to make necessary sacrifices, and acting on your commitments rather than fleeting feelings. Olympic athletes reach greatness not during competition, but through their decision to train hard and make sacrifices. By the time they compete in the Olympics, they are merely confirming the price they've already paid. Similarly, to maximize the benefits of the 12-week year philosophy, you must choose to do what it takes to become great. Athletes refer to this as "getting into the zone," which means being present, focused, and free from distractions. To deliver greater results, you must find your zone and remain there. Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington observe that the difference between greatness and mediocrity on a daily and weekly basis is slight, yet the long-term results are vastly different. For a salesperson, greatness might mean a few extra appointments each week, a handful more calls each day, or dedicating a few hours weekly to strategic business development. For a manager or leader, it could be acknowledging one more person's efforts daily, delegating tasks, or spending time on strategic priorities. These minor daily and weekly differences accumulate to significant long-term disparities. The concept of a balanced life is often discussed, but in reality, equal time allocation across all life areas is not desirable. The key to productivity leaps is to be intentional about where and how you spend your time, energy, and effort. Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, stated, "There’s no such thing as work-life balance. There are work-life choices, and you make them, and they have consequences." Progress requires creating intentional imbalances. With each new 12-week cycle, focus on a few key life areas for significant improvement, whether in income goals, personal relationships, community involvement, spiritual well-being, or health. Each area either energizes or drains you. Apply the 12-week plan approach to all aspects of your life, not just your career. Since a year has 52 weeks, adopting the 12-week cycle results in a 13th week each quarter. Use this week to plan for the next cycle or, if warranted, enjoy it as a vacation. Celebrating progress and accomplishments is more frequent with the 12 Week Year, preventing you from getting ahead of yourself and ensuring that each week is impactful.