Simple questions that will help you stop wasting your efforts.
There’s no point running faster if you’re headed in the wrong direction.
When I built my business, I put in twelve-hour days because it made me feel like I made progress. But no matter how hard I worked, many of my efforts didn’t get me where I wanted to be. This can happen in any area of your life.
- You want a great relationship but don’t connect deeply with your partner
- You want a successful career but get stuck in a dead-end job
- You want a sexy body but stay plus-sized
The problem often isn’t a lack of determination. You put one foot in front of the other, determined to reach your goal. But sometimes, you’re missing a map – and end up on the wrong track.
It’s easy to think we have it all figured out, all planned, and all set up in our heads. But when push comes to shove, we often lose our direction. Our ego drives us to do what feels good, not what feels right.
“An hour of planning can save you ten hours of doing.” – Dale Carnegie
When I realized how much of my time, money, and energy I often wasted, I knew I needed a way to stay on track instead of taking detour after detour. I didn’t want to deal with the guesswork anymore and pour my resources down the drain. I wanted to know the exact next steps to live the life I wanted.
That’s why I created weekly and monthly review templates.
I’ve been using them for years and without them, I’d be nowhere near where I am today. Feel free to steal them.
This Weekly Review Will Keep You On Track Towards What Matters
Your weekends are much more than just days off work.
They’re valuable time to reflect, plan, and adjust. You can set small and easily achievable goals for the week. Instead of getting off track, you can make small corrections in your course.
Every Saturday, I take ten minutes to fill out my weekly review. It’s split into four sub-categories to help you make the most out of your experiences and move forward in the most efficient way. This is what it looks like:
Reflection
- What were last week’s wins?
- What were some key lessons learned?
- What can I do differently from last week to raise my average performance, success, and happiness?
Planning
- What responsibilities and deadlines are lined up for next week?
- What challenges am I anticipating and how will I prepare for them?
Direction
- What is the next small step or achievement toward my long-term goals?
Priorities & Commitments
- What are my three highest-leverage tasks that move the needle most? (be specific!)
- What key habit or task do I vow to accomplish next week and how will I hold myself accountable?
- How can I connect with the people who are important to me?
→ All that’s left for you is to copy these questions and create a recurring reminder on your phone or calendar to go through them every week.
The Monthly Review That Will Help You Move Your Life Forward In Big Steps
Why do months have roughly 30 days?
Our calendar comes from the ancient Roman empire. Back then, people would measure time in moon cycles – each of which is 29.5 days from new moon to new moon. When the moon comes full cycle, we do, too.
I use my monthly review to set milestones that help me stay on track toward my yearly goals and don’t miss out on life while I do so. It follows a similar format to the weekly review, but the questions are more comprehensive. Here’s what I ask myself:
Reflection
- What has happened and evolved during the last month? What did I achieve?
- What skills did I develop?
- What were my biggest learnings?
- Am I happy, do I live up to my standards, and do I feel like I’m on the right track?
- What tasks, projects, or commitments does all this suggest for the coming month?
Status Quo
- What’s the biggest challenge I’m facing? What thoughts do I regularly have?
- What’s the biggest opportunity I’m aware of right now?
- Is there something I’m neglecting or giving too much attention to?
Planning
- What projects, commitments, and plans do I have for the next month?
- What challenges am I anticipating and how can I prepare for them?
- What’s something I want to make more time for and how will I do it?
- What habit or skill would be beneficial to develop?
Summary
- What’s the most important thing I want to do or accomplish next month?
- What are three other important things I want to achieve?
- Which habits or skills will I build?
- What’s my biggest problem and how will I solve it?
- How will I reward myself for achieving all of these?
→ The procedure here is the same as in the weekly review – copy the questions, set a recurring reminder, and go through them at the end of every month.
The Real Benefit Of Regular Reviews
Reviews are about more than just answering questions and ticking off boxes.
Life can get hectic. You need to make sure the important stuff doesn’t go by the board and you don’t waste your resources. Few things are more frustrating than hustling hard and having nothing to show for it – or even realizing you were walking in the wrong direction all along.
Regular reviews will give you security and confidence in what you’re doing. They’ll bring you clarity and peace of mind because you know that you’re on the right track. In the end, the few minutes it takes to do them will pay off manifold.
All you need to do is copy these questions, set a reminder, and answer them regularly.
Stop losing your direction and start living your days on purpose.
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