Common questions
Annual reviews, intentions and a word for the year
Short answers to the questions people ask most, about planning a year and about Year Well Built.
About annual reviews
What is an annual review?
A look back at the last twelve months and a look ahead at the next, done on purpose and written down. A good one ends with a small number of things you intend to do differently, not a long list.
When is the best time to do an annual review?
Whenever a year turns for you. For most people that is December or early January. A birthday, a new job or the start of a school year works just as well. From September to December, Year Well Built plans the calendar year ahead. At any other time it plans the next twelve months from today.
What is the difference between an intention and a resolution?
A resolution is usually a rule: go to the gym three times a week. Miss one week and it feels broken. An intention is a direction, held in a word, such as Health. It tells you which way to lean when a choice comes up, and it survives a bad week. Year Well Built pairs each intention with small actions for the first ninety days, so the direction turns into something you do.
How do I choose a word for the year?
Start with what the last year taught you. Then ask: given what I now know, how do I need to be next year? The answer, in one plain word, is your word. The good ones are words you could put on a wall, such as Build, Ask, Enough or Steady. Year Well Built suggests one from your answers, and you can change it.
How many goals should I set for a year?
Fewer than you think. Year Well Built gives you three intentions at most. Three is enough to cover work and life, and few enough to remember without looking them up.
Why plan the first ninety days and not the whole year?
A year is too long to plan in detail. Ninety days is close enough to act on. Your plan sets three small actions for the first ninety days and a lighter outline for each quarter after that.
About Year Well Built
Is Year Well Built free?
Yes. There is no charge, no account and no password.
How long does it take?
Allow about twenty minutes for the six questions. Building the plan takes less than a minute. Your answers are saved in your browser as you go, so you can stop and come back.
Can I speak my answers instead of typing?
Yes, in browsers that support dictation. Choose "Dictate instead" under a question and talk. Say "next question" to move on.
Can I change the plan?
Yes. Every line can be edited before you keep it, including the word for the year. You can remove an intention or an action, or leave a value off.
What happens to my answers?
They are read once to build your plan and are not kept. Your plan is stored only if you ask for it by email, and you can delete it at any time. The privacy page has the detail.
Who is behind it?
Matt Rutherford, a career and leadership coach based in Ireland. The plan follows the way he works with coaching clients: reflect back what was said, name what matters, and keep the first steps small.
Does Year Well Built use AI?
Yes, some. AI is used to read your six answers together, analyse them quickly and draft your plan. A great coach or facilitator does this while listening to you. Year Well Built automates that step, so you get an outcome straight away. The privacy page says exactly what is used and how your answers are handled.
Is it a replacement for coaching?
No. It is a starting point you can use alone. If your plan raises something you want to think through with someone, you can book a discovery call with Matt.
More: how it works, the six questions, privacy, or book a discovery call.