If the purpose of an annual review is to define your Goals, the purpose of the monthly review is to define the projects that emerge from those goals.

Let’s take the Goal, Draft a book proposal. I currently do not know how to do that. I don’t really even know what one consists of. I just know submitting one is a feat. So that’s my first project. “Define what a book proposal is in a document including examples.” This is something that I could do within a week and for sure within a month. That’s an ideal size for projects.

Projects are extremely emergent both from above and below; projects twist and turn as you move towards the Goal. Here’s what I mean by that. We have defined (one of) our project for the month: Create this Document for a book proposal. Now throughout the week, as we work on that new directions and new tasks arise that were previously unknown. As we work, we capture these and continue towards our project goal. Once finished, we mark it complete and leave it be until our next monthly review. When it’s time for that review, now we not only have a lot more information about how to Draft a book proposal, but we have new task-ideas to pursue if desired. If while working, we realized oh, having beta-readers is very important, then we can pivot to a new project (or goal depending on size) to find beta readers.

That’s the pinnacle of work. Our projects first emerge from our highest goals, while our everyday work informs the direction of the next project. Information bounces back and forth between the entrepreneur within us and the everyday technician who’s on the ground floor checking off boxes.

The last link that’s missing is the one that connects the projects (that were planned from the monthly review) to our everyday workflow (discussed previously: beginning, middle, end). The Weekly Review.