Feeling like your to-do list is running the show? Here’s a powerful reminder: We tend to overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can achieve over a year with consistent effort and determination.
Success isn’t about cramming every task into a single day—it’s about building momentum over time. By focusing on small, meaningful actions each day, you lay the foundation for achieving your bigger goals. Prioritize progress over perfection, and celebrate even the smallest wins.
A year of steady effort can lead to incredible transformations in your personal and professional life. So, instead of stressing over today’s unchecked boxes, ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do today to move closer to my vision? When you shift your mindset to long-term growth, you’ll find the clarity and motivation to not just manage your to-do list but to achieve something truly remarkable.
In their book, The 12 Week Year, Brian Moran and Michael Lennington guide their readers to get more down in 12 weeks than others do in 12 months. Do this by planning one week at a time, for 12 weeks.
The reason this is successful is because many of us break our year into quarters. The first three quarters we put in effort, but at a more relaxed intensity than in the last quarter. When the last quarter comes we buckle down to reach our goals.
Now imagine that each quarter is a year and we plan and execute our tasks as if we were in the last quarter of the year. I have been following their lead for the past 18 months and I have accomplished more than I could imagine!
This book is a must-read! I read the version of The 12 Week Year for Writers. It helped me more than words can say. Check it out here: