If you searched for year compass, you're probably looking at YearCompass: the free booklet for reflecting on the year that's ending and planning the next one. It's a good tool. Where I'd add one step is at the end: turning your answers into actual dates, and that's what this post is about.
Below is what YearCompass is and how its two parts work, checked against its own site and the current booklet. Then I'll show how to take your answers from the second part and put them on a one-page 2027 calendar in Google Sheets.
TL;DR
- Fill in YearCompass, then put your plans for the year onto a one-page 2027 calendar with real dates.
- Give it a few quiet hours, which is what YearCompass itself asks for.
- The most common mistake is finishing the booklet and leaving the answers in a drawer until next December.
Who this is for
- Executive coach: You can run YearCompass with a client and finish with a dated year plan.
- Team facilitator: YearCompass can be done in a group, and a shared calendar gives the session a concrete end.
- Freelance designer: Your plans for 2027 land next to client deadlines so you can see what fits.
- Journaling enthusiast: You keep the handwritten booklet and add a year view you can print.
- Startup founder: Personal plans sit on the same page as launches and fundraising dates.
What YearCompass is
YearCompass describes itself as a free booklet that helps you reflect on the year and plan the next one. A few facts from its site:
- It's free to download. Supporting the team on Patreon is optional, from 1 dollar a month.
- It comes in A4 or A5 (a smaller foldable booklet), with a standard version to fill in by hand and a digital version.
- It's translated into dozens of languages.
- The site says it has been used by more than a million people since 2012.
- It asks for "a quiet few hours".
The booklet itself says you can do it in a group, as long as each person fills in their own copy.
How the two parts work
In the current edition (2025 to 2026), the booklet has two parts.
Part 1, The past year. It starts with going through your calendar week by week and noting the important events, gatherings and projects. Then come sections like "Six sentences about my past year", "Three of my biggest accomplishments", "Three of my biggest challenges", "Forgiveness" and "Letting go", and it closes with "The past year in three words".
Part 2, The year ahead. This part includes "Dare to dream big", "Magical triplets for the year ahead", "Six sentences about my next year", "Secret wish" and "My word for the year ahead".
The booklet suggests a break between the two parts. I'd take that seriously and do Part 2 on a different day if you can.
Before you start: print last year's calendar
Part 1 opens with a calendar review, and scrolling a phone app week by week is slow. If your year lives in a digital calendar, it helps to have a one-page view in front of you.
One quick way: copy Big Year (free, a Google Sheet that shows the whole year on one tab) and type in the main events from your 2026 calendar month by month. It takes about 20 minutes and gives you a single page to look at while you write.
After Part 2: put the year ahead on a calendar
Once you've finished Part 2, open Big Year for 2027:
- Add fixed dates first. In the SETTINGS tab, type the holidays, school breaks and birthdays that matter to you. They highlight on the calendar. It starts blank, so add only yours.
- Turn each of your "six sentences about my next year" into something on the page. If one says you'll travel more, put a trip on actual dates. If one is about a project, type its start date and a finish month.
- Place your bigger dreams from "Dare to dream big". Not all of them. Pick the one or two you'd most regret not starting, and give each a first step date.
- Type your word for the year into the first day of the year, or anywhere you'll see it every time you open the sheet.
- Add four check-ins on the last day of each quarter: March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31. Reread your booklet on each.
Then go to the DOWNLOAD tab and make a PDF. Letter or A4 fits in a folder next to your booklet. Tabloid (11 x 17 in) or A3 works on a wall.
Common pitfalls
- Rushing it. YearCompass asks for a few quiet hours. Book them on your calendar like a meeting.
- Skipping the calendar review. It's the start of Part 1 for a reason. Have last year's calendar open, ideally on one page.
- Leaving answers in the booklet. Put at least your six sentences onto a calendar with dates.
- Placing every dream. Pick one or two to start in 2027 and leave the rest written down, not scheduled.
- No check-ins. Put four quarterly reread dates on the calendar before you close the sheet.
FAQ
What is YearCompass?
A free booklet for reflecting on the past year and planning the next one, available in A4 and A5 and in many languages.
Is YearCompass free?
Yes. You can download it for free. Supporting the team on Patreon is optional.
How long does YearCompass take?
YearCompass asks for a quiet few hours. The booklet suggests a break between the past year part and the year ahead part.
Can I do YearCompass with my partner or a group?
Yes. The booklet says you can do it in a group, with each person filling in their own copy.
Is there a calendar to use with YearCompass?
Any calendar works. Big Year 2027 is a free one-page calendar in Google Sheets, so you can see all your plans for the year on a single page next to the booklet.
Planning next year? Get the Big Year, a free 2027 calendar in Google Sheets.
