10 questions that change your year in 30 minutes
No journals. No retreats. Sit down with a pen, answer ten questions honestly, and your next 12 months will quietly start to bend.
You don't need a planning system. You need a quiet half-hour and the willingness to be honest. Answer these ten in writing - not in your head - and you'll have more clarity than a weekend retreat.
The 10 questions
- 01What am I tolerating that I shouldn't be?
The flat, the role, the contract, the friendship. Name it. Naming it is half the fix.
- 02What am I avoiding?
The conversation, the spreadsheet, the doctor. Whatever surfaces is usually the next move.
- 03If I had to halve my to-do list, what stays?
That's your actual work. The rest is theatre.
- 04What did the best version of me do last week?
Find the pattern. Reverse-engineer it into your default week.
- 05Who do I need to thank?
Send the message today. Gratitude unsent doesn't count.
- 06Who's pulling me up, and who's pulling me down?
Two columns. Be honest. Reallocate hours accordingly.
- 07What would I do if I weren't afraid?
Write it. Then ask: what's the smallest version I could ship this week?
- 08What does 'enough' look like for me - not for them?
Without this answer you'll keep moving the goalposts until you're old and tired.
- 09What would the bravest version of next quarter look like?
Write 5 bullets. That's your plan.
- 10What will I regret not starting?
Whatever you wrote - start it this week, badly, in public if possible.
How to implement
- Block 30 minutes on the calendar. Phone in another room.
- Pen and paper. Typing turns this into performance.
- One pass through, fast. Don't edit. Don't polish.
- Pick the 3 answers that hit hardest. Turn each into one action for this week.
What I learned
I used to confuse planning with progress. The years that actually moved were the ones where I answered hard questions honestly in March and let the rest of the year argue with me.
Most people don't need a new plan. They need a more honest answer.