4To1 Planner - AI Planning Coach
by @qingxuantang
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.
clawhub install 4to1-planner📖 About This Skill
name: 4to1-planner 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. user-invocable: true homepage: https://4to1planner.com metadata: {"openclaw":{"emoji":"🎯","requires":{"anyBins":["curl","python3"]},"homepage":"https://4to1planner.com"}}
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:
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:
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
1. 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: 1. "If you could be anywhere in 4 years — career, life, skills — what does that look like?" 2. "What are the 2-3 biggest areas you want to transform?" (career, health, relationships, skills, finances) 3. "For each area, what does SUCCESS look like in 4 years? Be specific." 4. "What are you willing to give up to get there?" → seeds the Not-To-Do list 5. "Any daily habits stealing your time?" → seeds the Time Wasters list
After the conversation, create:
Step 3: 3-Month Milestones (5 min) 1. "Of your vision areas, which 1-2 need the most progress in the next 3 months?" 2. "What specific milestones would mean real progress?" 3. "Break each into measurable deliverables."
Create items with Layer: 3-Month Milestone, linked to vision areas.
Step 4: 2-Week Sprint (3 min) 1. "For your quarterly milestones, what can you accomplish in the next 2 weeks?" 2. "Pick 2 Primary projects and up to 5 Secondary projects." 3. "What does 'done' look like for each?"
Create items with Layer: 2-Week Sprint.
Step 5: Today (1 min) 1. "What are the 3 most important tasks for today?" 2. "Which sprint project does each serve?"
Write everything to the chosen backend.
2. 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.
3. 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?
4. 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
5. 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:
1. [Task] → serves [3-month milestone]
2. [Task] → serves [milestone]
3. [Task] ⚠️ [Project X] hasn't had progress in a week.
🚫 Not-To-Do reminder: You said NO to [thing]."
6. 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.
7. 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)
[x] Define feature scope
[x] 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
1. Respect the 4-3-2-1 hierarchy — every task connects up through sprint → milestone → vision 2. Protect the Not-To-Do list — if user adds something conflicting, remind them why they said no 3. Never fabricate progress — only report what's actually tracked 4. Keep it lightweight — weekly review = 5-10 min, daily check-in = 1 min 5. Be encouraging but honest — celebrate wins, flag stalls kindly 6. Think in 2-week cycles — the sprint is the core execution rhythm
Learn More
💡 Examples
User says any of these → this skill activates: