This is it. There are 90 days left in 2016. October is here and we’re in the final quarter of the year. And as a football fan I love a good 4th quarter win. But this month if you see me strutting around holding four fingers in the air, it may not be for my favorite football team (Roll Tide!) but for myself and for the ladies of See Jane Write. I am declaring that this quarter is ours! Here are four things you should do today to claim that fourth quarter win.
Celebrate and Congratulate
Consider what amazing things – both big and small – you have accomplished so far this year. Do something to celebrate these accomplishments whether it’s a girls night out or a new pair of shoes. It’s important also to take note of what you think helped you accomplish these goals because these are resources or healthy habits that you should hold on to for the rest of the year and into 2017.
Reflect and Review
What 2016 goals have you not accomplished? Why haven’t you accomplished them? Don’t use this as an excuse to beat yourself up. You just need to identify what obstacles are in your way and start to overcome. Also, consider if the goals you set for 2016 are still important to you. Some of them might not be. For each 2016 goal that you haven’t accomplished decide if you’re going to let it go, put it on the shelf for another year, or hold on to it for your fourth quarter goals.
Plan and Prepare
Begin to brainstorm your goals for 2017. Dream big! Your goals should be lofty enough that they challenge and excite you, but be sure they’re not so far-fetched that you don’t actually believe you can achieve them.
Feel free to cover all areas of life: Personal Growth, Professional Growth, Financial Growth, Spiritual Growth, and Relational Growth. State your goals as if you’ve already achieved them, i.e., “In 2017 I wrote and self-published my first book.”
Now make a list of all the things you need to accomplish in this final quarter of 2016 to make accomplishing your 2017 more likely.
Assess and Adjust
Take a look at the goals you decided to hang on to for 2016 and the list of things you need to accomplish this year to make your 2017 goals easier to achieve. Narrow this list down to 5 goals for the 4th quarter.
But wait! There’s more!
Just making a list of goals is not enough. As Maya Angelou once said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” So take time and make a list of all of the smaller tasks you’ll need to complete to accomplish these goals and schedule when you will do them. Make a list of daily and weekly habits you need to adopt, too.
I’m proud to say that when I host goal setting and planning workshops on Periscope and I ask attendees what has helped them accomplish many of their goals, they often say See Jane Write! And so I’m excited to announce that for a limited time only I’m reopening See Jane Write membership. If you’ve always wanted to become an official See Jane Write member, now is your chance. Learn more at seejanewritebham.com/membership.
What are your goals for your final quarter of 2016?
Ironically, this post has reached me at the perfect time. I’ve been making my pros and cons list, lining up my next goal and doing my “self work”. This morning, I received notice that a new creative opportunity is available for me. I refuse to let my gifts go to waste, and this is confirmation.
Yes! It’s time to go for it and get to work!