I don’t know how it happened, but it did. The last quarter of 2019 is already here! This year, like most of them, has flown by. I hope this year has been amazing for you and you’ve already hit all your goals. It that’s the case, get setting some more to work on before 2020 arrives.
But there’s a chance that things didn’t go quite as planned. Maybe you didn’t stick to working your plan like you know you should have. Or, maybe you were hit with unexpected circumstances throughout the year that got in your way. It happens. But the good news is, you still have an entire (well, almost entire) three months to work on them.
Here are some tips to help you finish 2019 strong:
1. Adjust your plan if necessary
You have one quarter left in which to reach the goals that you set for 2019. If you’re close to reaching them, that thought probably excites you.
But that’s not the case for everyone. It’s time to take a good honest look at the goals that you set and the plan you put in place. Be honest with yourself if those goals are just unattainable at this point of the year. If they are, don’t waste time shaming yourself for failing—start realigning.
I’ve heard Darren, CEO of SPEARity, share more than once with audiences that it’s OK to lower the bar. This might be something you struggle with because it goes against what society tells us. We’re always supposed to be pushing for more. The idea of lowering our goals can be a hard one to swallow, but there are times when it’s necessary.
If your goals are no longer realistic, they are no longer SMART goals. That means it’s time to realign your goals so they are achievable.
Now, if you have been killing it this year, then adjusting your goal might mean raising the bar instead of lowering it. That’s OK too!
2. Get your planning time on the calendar
It’s important that you have time every week and month during the quarter to set up your SPEAR and create a plan that you can work during the week. If you aren’t already using the SPEARity app, I highly recommend that you check it out. You can learn more about it at the following links:
- SPEARity app
- 3 Ways the SPEARIty App Has Improved my Productivity
- Break Down and Achieve Goals with the SPEARity App
But I’ll let you in on a secret—it’s not a magical app. You don’t simply enter your information and things automatically happen. You have to take the time to use it as part of your daily plan. This allows you to see where you really need to focus and to track how your tasks are helping you work towards your goals.
So, whether you use the app or have a different system in place, make sure that you take time today to schedule your planning time on your calendar. It could be 5-minutes each morning or an hour at the start of each week. Find what works for you and then do it.
3. Focus on the most important things
I’m a New Year’s Resolution/Goal Setter. I love to spend the end of one year making exciting plans for what the next year will bring. It’s an activity that my husband and I do with our three daughters. We set goals as a family and then each of us sets our own goals for things we want to accomplish or try for the first time. It’s exciting for me because it feels that anything is possible. There’s an entire year to make it happen.
But once the fourth quarter rolls around, as it has, it’s time to narrow my focus onto the things that are going to make the biggest impact on my life and business if I accomplish them.
Look at where your attention needs to be in your business right now to make the biggest impact before the start of 2020.
4. Remember that anything can still happen
I spent the first 30ish years of my life in Michigan, born and raised. That means I grew up watching the Detroit Lions. And as much as I don’t really want to be a Lions fan, it’s somehow hard not to want the home team to win. That’s a tough place to be when your home team is the Lions.
Here’s one thing I’ve learned from being a semi-Lions fan. Anything is possible in the 4th quarter. For some teams, this is great news because it means your Quarterback can pull your team together and drive them from behind to an amazing win. For the Lions, it means that your team can somehow manage to blow a lead they’ve had the entire game and still lose.
Anything can happen because the game isn’t over.
And business is the same way. While it might feel like the year is coming to an end and the holidays are right around the corner. You still have an entire quarter of the year left to work on accomplishing your goals. Anything is possible, so stay focused.
Are you ready to make the most of your 4th quarter? Working with a business coach or leadership development coach can make all the difference in helping you reach your business goals. Contact a SPEARity coach today to discuss your options. We are SPEARity, a local Milwaukee business coaching firm that specializes in executive coaching and leadership development training.
