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THIS WEEK’S LESSON

Planning Your Best Year Ever: A Framework for Former Educator Founders

Most entrepreneurs fall into one of two traps when planning their year ahead. They either create vague resolutions that fizzle by February, or they get lost in the weeds of tactical planning without a clear vision of success. But what if there was a better way?

Instead of starting with tactics like "post three times a day on social media" or setting arbitrary revenue goals, let's flip the script and start with a powerful question:

What will you and your business be able to do a year from now that you can't do today?

This simple yet profound question cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of meaningful progress. It forces you to envision real transformation rather than just activities.

Start With Your Current Reality

Before mapping out your destination, get crystal clear on where you are today. Ask yourself:

• What does your business life look like right now?

• What do you want that you don't currently have?

• What excites you about your business?

• What challenges keep you up at night?

Be ruthlessly honest here. The gap between your current reality and your desired future is where the magic happens.

Envision Your Best Year Ever

Now comes the fun part — imagining what's possible. But remember, we're not creating a to-do list. We're envisioning transformation and results.

Instead of "I will create 52 weekly newsletters," think bigger:

• "I will build a dedicated audience that eagerly awaits my insights"

• "My newsletter will generate 50% of my revenue through strategic partnerships"

• "Industry leaders will regularly quote my work"

Consider these powerful questions:

1. What impact will you have on your market?

2. How will your business model evolve?

3. What new capabilities will you develop?

4. How will your daily work rhythm change?

5. Where will you be investing most of your time?

The Lightning Strike Approach

Rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple initiatives, consider adopting what I call the "Lightning Strike" strategy. This means concentrating your efforts into 2-3 high-impact moves that will fundamentally change your business.

For example, instead of trying to be everywhere, you might focus on:

• Developing a signature framework that sets you apart

• Building one powerful distribution channel

• Creating a premium offering that transforms your revenue model

Make It Real

To move this from fantasy to reality, narrow down your vision to your top three results that would truly make it your "Best Year Ever." These should be outcomes that:

• Excite you deeply

• Would meaningfully transform your business

• Are ambitious but achievable with focused effort

Write these down and keep them visible. They become your North Star for decision-making throughout the year.

The Power of Backwards Planning

Once you have your "Best Year Ever" vision, work backwards. If this is where you want to be in a year, what needs to be true:

• In 9 months?

• In 6 months?

• In 3 months?

• Next month?

• Next week?

This backwards planning helps you identify the critical path and avoid getting distracted by non-essential activities.

Remember: Progress Over Perfection

Your Best Year Ever isn't about checking off every box or hitting every metric perfectly. It's about making meaningful progress toward the transformation you envision.

Keep coming back to that core question: "What will we be able to do a year from now that we can't do today?"

The beauty of this approach is that it works whether you're just starting out or scaling a mature business. It focuses you on transformation rather than just activity, and results rather than just tasks.

What could your Best Year Ever look like? Take some time this week to work through these questions. Your future self will thank you.