4To1 Planner - AI Planning Coach
Author: @qingxuantang
Downloads: 278
Description: AI planning coach using the 4To1 Method™ — turn 4-year vision into daily action. Connects to Notion, Todoist, Google Calendar, or local Markdown. Use when user wants to plan goals, do weekly reviews, track projects, or set up a planning system.
4To1 Planner — AI Planning Coach
"From Vision to Action: 4to1"
An AI-native planning coach that turns your 4-year vision into today's action — through conversation, not templates.
The 4To1 Method™
A 4-layer strategic planning system. Each layer bridges the gap between vision and execution:
4 YEARS → Strategic Vision (Where am I going?) 3 MONTHS → Project Milestones (Quarterly Gantt Log) 2 WEEKS → Action Execution (1 Day in a Week sprints) 1 DAY → Daily Tasks (Today's to-do list)
Plus two elimination layers:
Not-To-Do Projects: Things you explicitly say NO to Time Wasters: Daily habits you're eliminating
Core principle: Every daily task connects to a 2-week sprint, which connects to a 3-month milestone, which connects to your 4-year vision. Nothing floats.
Quick Start
User says any of these → this skill activates:
"Help me set up a planning system" "I want to plan my next 4 years" "Do my weekly review" "What should I focus on today?" "Set up 4to1 planner" Setup: Connect Your Backend
The planner needs somewhere to store plans. Ask the user which they prefer:
Option 1: Notion (Recommended)
1. Create a Notion integration at https://www.notion.so/my-integrations
2. Copy the API key (starts with ntn_)
3. Store it:
mkdir -p ~/.config/4to1 echo "BACKEND=notion" > ~/.config/4to1/config echo "NOTION_API_KEY=ntn_your_key_here" >> ~/.config/4to1/config
Share a parent page with the integration in Notion (click ··· → Connections → select your integration).
Create the planning workspace in Notion:
NOTION_KEY=$(grep NOTION_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2) PARENT_PAGE=$(grep NOTION_PARENT_PAGE ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2)
Create the 4To1 Planning Hub page
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d "{
"parent": {"page_id": "$PARENT_PAGE"},
"properties": {"title": {"title": [{"text": {"content": "🎯 4To1 Planning Hub"}}]}},
"children": [
{"type": "heading_1", "heading_1": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "🔭 4-Year Vision"}}]}},
{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Your strategic direction. Updated annually."}}]}},
{"type": "heading_1", "heading_1": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "📊 3-Month Milestones"}}]}},
{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Quarterly Gantt Log — project milestones for this quarter."}}]}},
{"type": "heading_1", "heading_1": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "🏃 2-Week Sprint"}}]}},
{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "1 Day in a Week — action execution in 2-week cycles."}}]}},
{"type": "heading_1", "heading_1": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "🚫 Not-To-Do List"}}]}},
{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Projects and commitments you are explicitly saying NO to."}}]}},
{"type": "heading_1", "heading_1": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "⏰ Time Wasters"}}]}},
{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Daily habits you are eliminating."}}]}}
]
}"
Create Projects database (tracks items across all 4 layers)
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/databases"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d "{
"parent": {"page_id": "$PARENT_PAGE"},
"title": [{"text": {"content": "📋 4To1 Projects"}}],
"properties": {
"Name": {"title": {}},
"Status": {"select": {"options": [
{"name": "Active", "color": "green"},
{"name": "Planned", "color": "blue"},
{"name": "On Hold", "color": "yellow"},
{"name": "Done", "color": "gray"},
{"name": "Not-To-Do", "color": "red"}
]}},
"Layer": {"select": {"options": [
{"name": "4-Year Vision", "color": "blue"},
{"name": "3-Month Milestone", "color": "green"},
{"name": "2-Week Sprint", "color": "orange"},
{"name": "1-Day Task", "color": "red"}
]}},
"Priority": {"select": {"options": [
{"name": "Primary", "color": "red"},
{"name": "Secondary", "color": "orange"},
{"name": "Nice-to-have", "color": "gray"}
]}},
"Parent Project": {"rich_text": {}},
"Start Date": {"date": {}},
"End Date": {"date": {}},
"Progress": {"number": {"format": "percent"}},
"Notes": {"rich_text": {}}
}
}"
Create Sprint Log database (2-week tracking cycles)
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/databases"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d "{
"parent": {"page_id": "$PARENT_PAGE"},
"title": [{"text": {"content": "📅 Sprint Log"}}],
"properties": {
"Sprint": {"title": {}},
"Focus Areas": {"rich_text": {}},
"Completed": {"number": {}},
"Planned": {"number": {}},
"Completion Rate": {"formula": {"expression": "if(prop(\"Planned\") > 0, round(prop(\"Completed\") / prop(\"Planned\") * 100), 0)"}},
"Reflection": {"rich_text": {}},
"Energy Level": {"select": {"options": [
{"name": "🔥 High", "color": "green"},
{"name": "😊 Normal", "color": "blue"},
{"name": "😴 Low", "color": "yellow"},
{"name": "💀 Burnt Out", "color": "red"}
]}}
}
}"
Option 2: Todoist
1. Get API token from https://app.todoist.com/app/settings/integrations/developer
echo "BACKEND=todoist" > ~/.config/4to1/config echo "TODOIST_API_KEY=your_token_here" >> ~/.config/4to1/config
Create the 4To1 structure:
TODOIST_KEY=$(grep TODOIST_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2)
for project in "🔭 4-Year Vision" "📊 3-Month Milestones" "🏃 2-Week Sprint" "✅ Daily Tasks" "🚫 Not-To-Do"; do
curl -s -X POST "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/projects"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d "{"name": "$project"}"
done
Option 3: Google Calendar + Tasks echo "BACKEND=gcal" > ~/.config/4to1/config
Requires Google OAuth — run the setup script:
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/gcal_setup.py
Option 4: Local Markdown (No account needed)
echo "BACKEND=local" > /.config/4to1/config
echo "LOCAL_DIR=/4to1-plans" >> ~/.config/4to1/config
mkdir -p ~/4to1-plans/{vision,milestones,sprints,daily,not-to-do}
Core Commands
- Onboarding — "Set up my planning system"
Guide the user through this conversation:
Step 1: Choose backend (see Setup above)
Step 2: 4-Year Vision (5-10 min conversation)
Ask one at a time, conversationally:
"If you could be anywhere in 4 years — career, life, skills — what does that look like?" "What are the 2-3 biggest areas you want to transform?" (career, health, relationships, skills, finances) "For each area, what does SUCCESS look like in 4 years? Be specific." "What are you willing to give up to get there?" → seeds the Not-To-Do list "Any daily habits stealing your time?" → seeds the Time Wasters list
After the conversation, create:
4-Year Vision document with their answers (Layer: 4-Year Vision) 2-5 vision areas with concrete success criteria Initial Not-To-Do list + Time Wasters list
Step 3: 3-Month Milestones (5 min)
"Of your vision areas, which 1-2 need the most progress in the next 3 months?" "What specific milestones would mean real progress?" "Break each into measurable deliverables."
Create items with Layer: 3-Month Milestone, linked to vision areas.
Step 4: 2-Week Sprint (3 min)
"For your quarterly milestones, what can you accomplish in the next 2 weeks?" "Pick 2 Primary projects and up to 5 Secondary projects." "What does 'done' look like for each?"
Create items with Layer: 2-Week Sprint.
Step 5: Today (1 min)
"What are the 3 most important tasks for today?" "Which sprint project does each serve?"
Write everything to the chosen backend.
- Weekly Review — "Do my weekly review"
Run every Sunday evening or Monday morning. Read {baseDir}/scripts/weekly_review.md for the full template.
Summary:
READ: This week's tasks + completion status + project progress + Not-To-Do list ASK: How did this week go? → Wins? → Blockers? → Energy level? → Did you spend time on Not-To-Do items? → Next week's top 3? WRITE: Sprint log entry + next week's tasks + updated progress
Keep it under 10 minutes. Be a coach, not a form.
Bi-Weekly Sprint Review — Every 2 weeks READ: Current 2-week sprint tasks and progress REVIEW: What got done? What carries over? Any sprint goal changes? PLAN: Next 2-week sprint — new primary/secondary projects CHECK: Are sprints still aligned with 3-month milestones?
Quarterly Review — End of each quarter READ: All projects and sprint logs for the quarter REPORT: Projects completed/stalled/abandoned, completion trend, top win, biggest blocker ASK: Which projects continue? Which get cut? New projects? Update Not-To-Do? WRITE: Quarterly report + next quarter's milestones
Daily Check-in — "What should I focus on today?" READ: Current sprint tasks + project priorities RESPOND: "Based on your 2-week sprint, today's focus:
- [Task] → serves [3-month milestone]
- [Task] → serves [milestone]
- [Task]
⚠️ [Project X] hasn't had progress in a week. 🚫 Not-To-Do reminder: You said NO to [thing]."
Quick Add — "Add [task] to my plan"
Parse the task. Ask which project/sprint it serves if unclear. Add to backend with correct layer linkage.
- Progress Check — "How am I doing?" READ: All data SHOW: 🔭 4-Year Vision: [areas and direction] 📊 Q[X] Milestones: [X/Y complete] 🏃 Current Sprint: [X/Y tasks done, Z% rate] 📈 Sprint streak: X consecutive reviews 🚫 Not-To-Do violations: [any this week?]
Notion API Reference NOTION_KEY=$(grep NOTION_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2)
Search planning pages
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/search"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{"query": "4To1"}'
Query projects by layer
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/databases/{db_id}/query"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{"filter": {"and": [
{"property": "Status", "select": {"equals": "Active"}},
{"property": "Layer", "select": {"equals": "2-Week Sprint"}}
]}}'
Update progress
curl -s -X PATCH "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages/{page_id}"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{"properties": {"Progress": {"number": 0.75}, "Status": {"select": {"name": "Active"}}}}'
Create sprint log entry
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_KEY"
-H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{
"parent": {"database_id": "{sprint_log_db_id}"},
"properties": {
"Sprint": {"title": [{"text": {"content": "2026-W07 Sprint Review"}}]},
"Completed": {"number": 8},
"Planned": {"number": 10},
"Reflection": {"rich_text": [{"text": {"content": "Good sprint. Hit main milestones."}}]},
"Energy Level": {"select": {"name": "😊 Normal"}}
}
}'
Todoist API Reference TODOIST_KEY=$(grep TODOIST_API_KEY ~/.config/4to1/config | cut -d= -f2)
Get all projects
curl -s "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/projects" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY"
Get active tasks in a project
curl -s "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks?project_id={id}" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY"
Create task linked to sprint
curl -s -X POST "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{"content": "Task name", "project_id": "xxx", "priority": 4, "due_string": "next monday", "description": "Sprint: 2-Week Sprint | Milestone: Q1 Goal"}'
Complete task
curl -s -X POST "https://api.todoist.com/rest/v2/tasks/{id}/close" -H "Authorization: Bearer $TODOIST_KEY"
Local Markdown Backend ~/4to1-plans/ ├── vision.md # 4-year vision document ├── not-to-do.md # Not-To-Do projects + Time Wasters ├── milestones/ │ └── 2026-Q1.md # 3-month milestone plan ├── sprints/ │ ├── 2026-W07.md # 2-week sprint plan │ └── 2026-W09.md ├── daily/ │ └── 2026-02-10.md # Daily task list └── reviews/ ├── sprint-2026-W07.md # Sprint review log └── quarterly-2026-Q1.md
Use YAML frontmatter for structured data:
project: Launch MVP layer: 3-month-milestone status: active priority: primary progress: 45 start: 2026-01-01 end: 2026-03-31 parent_vision: "Build a profitable SaaS"
Launch MVP
Tasks (2-week sprint)
- Define feature scope
- Build prototype
- User testing round 1
- Iterate on feedback
Automation (Heartbeat/Cron)
For OpenClaw users with heartbeats or cron:
Weekly review reminder (Sunday 8pm):
"Run 4to1 weekly review: read sprint progress, generate summary, ask for next week's priorities"
Daily focus (weekdays 8am):
"Check 4to1 plan, suggest today's top 3 focus tasks based on current 2-week sprint"
Stall detection (every 3 days):
"Check if any active 4to1 sprint project hasn't been updated in 1+ week. Alert if stalled."
Coach Principles Respect the 4-3-2-1 hierarchy — every task connects up through sprint → milestone → vision Protect the Not-To-Do list — if user adds something conflicting, remind them why they said no Never fabricate progress — only report what's actually tracked Keep it lightweight — weekly review = 5-10 min, daily check-in = 1 min Be encouraging but honest — celebrate wins, flag stalls kindly Think in 2-week cycles — the sprint is the core execution rhythm Learn More Website: https://4to1planner.com Free starter kit: https://4to1planner.com/free-download.html Templates: https://4to1planner.com/shop.html YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markzhou5213 Twitter: https://twitter.com/xiucat