Planning for a year leads to a lax attitude throughout the start of the year, leading to a burst of frantic activity as the end of the year approaches. Forget about your annual plan and accomplish the same goals in just 12 weeks.

• When you have just 12 weeks to reach your g...

At the start of the week, send an accountability partner what you plan to accomplish by the end of the week—and, when the week is done, follow up with them to let them know how things went.

Happiness isn't something you get when you go shopping or go on a vacation. It is a byproduct of doing something meaningful and useful. If we are not making a difference in the world by doing something worthwhile, not adding or creating anything of value, then we cannot achieve happiness j...