This is the third lesson in a series, published here on Substack. The introductory article is Creating a 12 Week Plan to Smash Your Goals and Get Things Done! Let's Go... and it is best if you start there, and then move through the lessons sequentially.
This is my least favourite part, and it is the part that I struggled with the most. If you are a natural planner, I would love to hear in the comments about your personal experiences of creating a successful plan and what you think makes a good tactic.
I am going to put the tips at the beginning of this lesson, rather than putting them at the end of the article:
Tips:
Align Tactics with Your Goals: Make sure each tactic directly supports one of your larger 12-week goals. Tactics should be specific actions that move you closer to achieving those goals, ensuring that everything you do is purpose-driven.
Make Tactics Actionable and Measurable: Tactics should be clear, concrete, and actionable - write statements that describe the action you will take. Define exactly what needs to be done, when, and how. Avoid vague or broad tasks—focus on measurable actions like "run 3 miles every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday" instead of "exercise more."
Focus on High-Impact Activities: Prioritize tactics that have the greatest potential to drive results. Eliminate or delegate low-impact tasks that don’t contribute meaningfully to your goals. Keep your efforts focused on what will produce the most significant progress. In this case less is actually more.
In Lesson 1, we defined your long-term vision. In Lesson 2, we committed to a 12 week goal. In Lesson 3, we will break our goals down into a weekly action plan. Here’s how to write effective tactics/actions:
Create Weekly Commitments: Break each goal into weekly objectives. Think about the actions you need to take each week to make progress toward your larger goal.
Focus on Execution: Write down what needs to be done (specific actions) and when it will be done.
Developing Tactics
Identify Key Tactics: Tactics are the specific actions or steps required to meet your weekly goals. They are the daily and weekly behaviours that will drive results.
Be Actionable and Clear: Each tactic should be something you can actively do, not just an outcome. For example, “call 5 new prospects daily” is a tactic, “grow sales” is not.
Be Time-Sensitive: Attach deadlines to each tactic, usually by the end of the week or specific days. Ensure each tactic fits within your weekly plan.
Prioritize and Eliminate Distractions
Rank Tactics by Priority: Focus on high-impact activities that will directly lead to achieving your goals. Eliminate tasks that don’t contribute to the weekly objective.
Review and Adjust: Weekly, review your progress. If you’re not hitting your targets, refine or adjust your tactics accordingly.
Measure and Track
Monitor Execution: Check off completed tactics daily or weekly. Track what is getting done, and identify where you’re falling behind.
Score Your Week: At the end of each week, evaluate your performance by measuring what percentage of tactics you completed.
Stay Accountable
Hold Yourself Accountable: Use self-monitoring or accountability partners to ensure you stay on track with your tactics.
Consistent Reflection: Reflect on your progress every week, and make necessary adjustments to stay aligned with your 12-week goals.
By developing specific, actionable tactics and focusing on execution week by week, you can make significant progress toward your goals within the 12 Week Year framework.
Here are 10 examples of tactics that could apply to various niches in the context of the 12 Week Year:
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