How A ’12-Week Year’ Can Help You Level Up Your Career

If you’re anything like me and set bold goals every year, but then struggle to achieve them, you may be someone who’d do well with a new goal-setting system I’ve recently taken up. It’s all about condensing those goals into a manageable timeline that uses SMART goal planning, milestones and accountability to help you achieve.

This is the ‘12-week year’ goal planning methodology designed by Brian Moran.

The ‘12-week year’ method is a goal-setting system that truncates long-form goals into a short, focused timeline. Basically, this method encourages you to set goals, milestones and action plans which are achievable within 12 weeks. You don’t set “by the end of the year” goals but rather create a specific plan to achieve and meet those goals in just three months’ time, keeping the momentum going throughout.

The 12-week year provides you with a clear, short timeline to work towards accomplishing your goals.

This means you can take a realistic look at where you want to be not at the end of 2025 but right now, in just 3 months’ time.

None of us are on the same career path, so leveling up will look different for everyone. Some might aim to earn more money or have better benefits, while others may seek to become an expert in their field or earn more responsibility. Some may also aim to gain more control over their schedule and work-life balance.

Define your idea of success by asking yourself what you want out of your career and what you don’t want.

Once you’ve understood the direction in which you want your career to go, craft one to three high-impact goals that will move you in that direction. These should be made with the SMART goal setting methodology to provide guardrails for realistic, achievable actions.

Lay out the next twelve weeks and set the end dates for each of your goals. Choose progressive milestones along the way and write out basic basic step-by-step actions.

Personally, I like to use Trello for my goal-planning, and use a separate board for each major goal, with a list on the board for each Milestone, filled with the individual steps for achievement.

According to the folks at Yale, accountability is a crucial part of your success. To keep yourself accountable, use those tracking apps, a journal, vision board, checklist or planner and calendar to stay on top of your tasks.

To stay accountable with others, choose a mentor, accountability partner or find an accountability group. I use the Skool app to find like-minded individuals and do near-daily check ins with folks there as well as one of my co-workers and closest friends.

Finally, you’ll want to choose a mantra or motivational focus-phrase for yourself during these 12 weeks. The phrase should focus on the overall result not the goal, though, as this serves as your reminder of why you’re aiming to level up in your career.

I created some images with my focus words to help keep it visual and memorable.

If you’re ready to level up but not quite sure what that might look like for you, here are some bold goals that might inspire your journey.

Freelancers may want to:

• Gain new clients
• Raise fees and rates
• Start an agency or boutique business

Those who are dissatisfied with their career paths may want to:

• Expand skill sets and experience for a career shift
• Create a financial plan to support a career shift
• Take on a career coach who can challenge your limiting beliefs

Those who own or run a business may wish to:

• Increase revenue or profits
• Strengthen areas of weakness such as decisiveness or delegation
• Secure additional funding for a new vertical or support staff

Using the 12-week year methodology could well help you move into a new career, increase revenue or amp up your personal career growth like never before.

Repeat this plan as often as you like to keep leveling up, but also be sure to take vacations, long weekends and wellness breaks in between 12-week cycles to help prevent burnout and exhaustion.