In a conversation last week, someone reminded us that we had just about 4 months to the end of the year. She went on to note that this year has rushed so fast, it feels as if it just started and skipped to August!
I’ve heard almost similar sentiments. Mostly from people who have not made strides in what they set out to achieve this year.
But the sad bit is when someone has the same goals year after year. They procrastinate and give up by the time September rolls in. For them, it seems impossible to do anything major in the remaining months of the year.
Interestingly, September to November can be a time when you can do even better than you have done in the previous months. You can push through and make the last part of the year count.
But you may wonder why I have not talked about December…
You see, for most people, working hard on your goals goes out of the window when the festive season kicks in. This can be as early as the end of November.
In Kenya, the season kicks in on Jamhuri Day which is on the 12th of December, the day Kenya became a Republic. Once that public holiday arrives…the party season is already underway!
So, if you’re waiting for October to start working on making the last quarter of the year count, then you’ll be too late. Worse still, you may end up as that gloomy person who is busy trying to hit some milestones in the last 2 weeks of the year…the official Christmas season.
A new last quarter of the year
Having said that, I have a suggestion for you.
Why not make September to November the time when you go for your goals as if it were the last quarter of the year?
That is what I am doing personally and in my business. I’m also challenging all my coaching clients to block off 12 weeks that end on the first or second Sunday of December and make this the last quarter of their work year.
It would be best if your 12-week period could end on the first Sunday of December at the latest. But it’s still doable if you push one more week.
What next after setting the date?
I have written several blog posts on making the last quarter of the year count, finishing the year strong, and quarterly goal setting. The information contained in those blog posts is still valid so there’s no need to add a new one.
You can find them at these links:
- How to Make the Last Quarter of the Year Count
- What Will It Take to End the Year Strong?
- 6 Tips to Make the Second Half of the Year an Outstanding Success
- Finish 2020 Strong!
- How to Achieve Your Goals Effectively With 90-Day Goal Setting
- A 5-Step Process for Achieving Your Big Goals
Give your goal a push in 12 weeks
One thing to note when it comes to the last quarter of the year is that this is not the time to set new goals. This is the time to give focused attention to one of your main goals for this year.
If you have been working diligently on the goal, this could be the push you need to wrap it up.
If you had started and slacked off, you could pick it up, give it a kickstart, and push through.
And if you hadn’t started working on the goal at all, you can get started and end the year knowing that you moved the needle on the goal.
If, by chance, you give the goal your all within the 12 weeks and still don’t achieve the goal, at least you will have made some strides towards its achievement. Then you can prioritize this goal when planning for the next year and use the same 12-week process to build and keep the momentum.
Why focus on one goal within the 12 weeks?
One of the main reasons why people don’t achieve their goals is because they try to work on too many goals at the same time. When you do this, you scatter your attention. You also stretch your time, energy, and resources too thin.
When you focus on a few goals (I recommend 3 main goals per year), then you are highly focused on them. This makes it easier for you to set stronger boundaries around your time, energy, resources, and attention. And this, in turn, helps you achieve your goals faster and in an easier way.
Now, when it comes to the last part of the year, you want to end with a positive bang. So, you need to give your top goal laser-focused attention.
How to amplify your goal-achievement process
Sometimes, working on your goals alone can feel lonely and tough. That’s why it’s always best to have a space or person that provides you with support and accountability along the way.
You could create this space by applying one or more of the following strategies.
Have an accountability buddy
This is someone that you meet with weekly to discuss your goals and what has happened during the week.
Attend a class at a college or university
Always ensure that the class is structured to help you and other attendees achieve a goal or a certain level of expertise.
Set up or join a Mastermind group
This is a group of people with similar goals or interests who meet regularly to provide each other with support and accountability as you all work on your goals. Masterminds meet weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or quarterly. Since you’re on a time crunch, create or join one that meets weekly.
If you’re a Solopreneur or you have a part-time business while holding a full-time job, check out my 12-week Finish Strong Challenge which is a mastermind that is created specifically for women like you.
Work with a Coach
Hire a Coach who specializes in helping people achieve the kind of goal you are working on.
- A Business Coach can help you with your business growth goals.
- Life Coaches are specialists in helping people get unstuck and create a better and more balanced life.
- A Career Coach is ideal if you want to change careers or move to a new job, etc.
Check out my 12-week program Break Free, Live Your Life, if you’re feeling stuck, unmotivated, and unsure of which goals to focus on.
Break Free is designed for high-achieving women who feel as if they have lost the ability to dream or go for their dreams, despite having achieved massive personal, professional, or business success.
Hire a Personal Trainer for fitness-related goals
The difference between a Coach and a Personal Trainer is that a Coach will not tell you what to do. They will guide you through the process of discovering what works for you and provide you with coaching, support, and accountability as you work towards your goal.
A Personal Trainer, on the other hand, will help you create a training plan. Then they will provide 1-1 training and follow-up as you work your plan.
Whichever option you choose, ensure that you do the following each week:
- Review what you had planned for the week.
- Tick off what you have completed (both planned and unplanned).
- Note down what is pending and why.
- Identify the obstacles you’ve encountered during the week and how you handled them.
- Create a plan for the next week.
- Celebrate milestones achieved that week. This doesn’t have to be a big celebration. That will come at the end of the 12 weeks.
Your Next Step …
As I said earlier, many people wait for October to start working on making the last quarter of the year count. I used to do that, and it was very stressful if December rolled in, and I still had some way to go.
This year, I’ve changed track and have chosen to end the last quarter of the year by the second Saturday of December at the latest.
I’ve laid out the process I’ll use in this blog post and shared tips and resources about how you can make this 12-week period a success.
However, nothing happens until you take action. And not just any actions. You must take the correct actions consistently.
Try out this process I’ve shared, and you’ll see different results as the year winds up.
Need help making the last quarter of the year count?
I’d love to help you push the needle on your #1 goal this year with these programs. Check them out, sign up, and make the last quarter of the year count for you!
1. Attend a Biashara Clinic
Every month, I host a class where I teach a strategy you can use to improve your business. We also have a follow-up Q&A call where participants can ask questions related to their own situation. Click here to find out more.
2. Break Free, Live Your Life
This is a 12-week group life coaching program for women who are ready to get unstuck. You become more confident and get strategies that will help you go for your BIG goals without losing out on what matters most to you. Click here to find out more.
3. Finish Strong Challenge
This is a 12-week business mastermind for women. It’s ideal for you if you’re a Solopreneur or if you have a part-time business while holding a full-time job.
You work on your #1 goal for the business during the Challenge with support and accountability from me and other members of your group. I host 3 challenges each year (January, May, and September) and you can attend one or more.
Join the Finish Strong Challenge and make breakthroughs in your business goals this year without losing out on time for what you love (family, friends, hobbies, etc.).
4. Sign Up for 1-1 Coaching
This is ideal for you if you work full-time in your business, your business is at least 3 years old, and you have 5 or more employees.
Book a complimentary 3-minute Discovery Call to find out more about my 1-1 coaching and how it can help you supercharge your success while maintaining healthy work-life boundaries.
(Image credit: Unsplash)
