Setting quarterly goals is one of the best ways to keep yourself on track throughout the year or to give you that big finish you want for the end of the year. Whether you’re focusing on personal growth or your writing dreams, breaking your goals down into quarters makes them much more achievable! Let’s dive into my simple, seven-step process for setting your goals—and how to make the most of this new quarter.
1. Review Your Goals for the Year
Before jumping into new goals, take a step back and review the ones you’ve already set for the year. Are you on track? Have you achieved some already? If so, consider what helped you achieve these things. This lets you know what’s working. Which goals are you struggling to accomplish? What’s standing in your way? The answers to these questions help you figure out what’s not working.
It’s also a great time to reassess whether some goals need tweaking or should be dropped entirely. Maybe there are some goals you set for the year that no longer align with your priorities for this season of life. These are goals that you can put on the back burner until next year. Perhaps there are goals that no longer align with your values. You can release these goals.
The goals for the year that you haven’t yet accomplished but would still like to achieve or at least make significant progress on by the end of the year will be your guide as you set your goals for the quarter.
2. Do a Brain Dump
Now that you’ve reviewed your goals, it’s time to free up your mind! Grab a pen and paper (or your favorite digital tool) and do a brain dump of everything on your mind. This includes all the things you could do this next quarter to help move the needle on your goals for the year as well as any other ideas, projects, new goals, and even small tasks. Don’t worry about sorting through them yet. The aim is to get it all out so you can see the big picture and uncover any hidden priorities.
3. Select the Best Next Steps
After your brain dump, it’s time to sift through it. Which goals feel most aligned with your bigger vision? Which tasks are most urgent or exciting? Choose the most impactful next steps that will push you closer to your larger goals and the steps that make the most sense for your current season of life. By narrowing your focus, you’ll avoid overwhelm and set yourself up for success.
4. Make Sure Your Goals Are SMART Goals
Once you’ve chosen your priorities, make sure your goals are SMART:
Specific: Clearly define your goals.
Measurable: Decide how you’ll track your progress.
Achievable: Ensure your goals are realistic.
Relevant: Align them with your overall vision for your life
Time-bound: Set deadlines to keep yourself accountable.
So instead of saying, “I want to write more” reframe it into, “I will write 200 words a day 6 days a week.”
5. Break Each Goal Down into Manageable Steps with Deadlines
Now that your goals are SMART, break them down into smaller, actionable steps. Assign deadlines to each one. This is where the magic happens! Instead of seeing a big, overwhelming goal, you’ll have a clear roadmap of tiny steps to follow. These mini-deadlines help you stay motivated and moving forward.
6. Choose Your Word for the Quarter (or the First Month)
Lots of people choose a word for the year but I like to choose a word for every month. You can choose a word for the quarter that can serve as a guiding principle for how you want to feel or what you want to focus on. Words like “growth,” “balance,” “discipline,” or “joy” can set the tone for your next three months. If committing to a word for the whole quarter feels intimidating, just choose one for the first month of the quarter.
7. Consider What Might Stand in Your Way and What You Can Do About It
Life is gonna life. Acknowledge any potential obstacles that could throw you off course, such as a busy work schedule, unexpected events, or energy dips. By identifying these roadblocks early on, you can plan how to handle them—whether it’s shifting deadlines, asking for help, or making adjustments to your goals. Having an accountability partner can help too.
What Are Examples of Quarterly Goals?
Quarterly goals can vary depending on what you want to focus on, but I always recommend to the women of See Jane Write to have a writing goal, a wellness goal and what I call a wildcard goal. This is a goal related to some other area of life that may need attention such as personal growth, finances, relationships, or home organization.
Here are some examples of writing goals you might want to consider:
Complete book proposal
Write 200 words each day
Launch Substack newsletter
Here are some examples of other goals:
Personal growth: Read 3 books in the next 3 months.
Career development: Complete an online course to learn a new skill.
Fitness: Run 100 miles this quarter.
Financial: Save $1,000
Relationships: Have lunch with 3 friends.
Home: Purge and organize closet
The key is to make them specific and manageable over a three-month span.
How Many Goals Should You Set Per Quarter?
How many goals you set for the quarter depends on how much time and energy you have but 2 to 4 is a good rule of thumb. I am notorious for trying to do ALL THE THINGS all at once. And when I try to do everything, I usually end up accomplishing NOTHING! When you set too many goals, you get overwhelmed.
I often overestimate how much time and energy I will have because new quarters fill me with such excitement. But the key is to focus on quality over quantity. Achieving a few meaningful goals will feel much better than having a long list of unfinished ones! I’m talking to myself here. Again, setting a writing goal, wellness goal, and wildcard goal is a great way to have a well-rounded 3 months.
I’ve set 4 goals for the quarter including one big hairy audacious goal:
- Complete my book proposal.
- Lose 10 pounds.
- Deep clean and organize my house.
- Increase my monthly revenue by 5x. (yep, this is the hairy one)
More Tips for Setting Quarterly Goals
Focus on a few key areas. If you’re like me, you may be tempted to set a goal for every single area of life but resist the urge to do the most! Instead, pick 2-4 key areas to concentrate on for the next three months.
Don’t forget about monthly goals. When you break your quarterly goals into goal into small, actionable steps with deadlines this will help you determine your goals for each month of the quarter.
Remember to track your progress. Use a planner, digital app, or even a sticky note system to monitor how you’re doing week by week.
Plan, plan, plan. A goal without a plan is just a wish. At the start of each week, plan exactly what you’re going to do over the next seven days toward your goals and when you’re going to do it.
Schedule check-ins: At the end of each month, review your progress and adjust any goals if necessary. Life happens. If you need to shift your goals along the way, give yourself permission to do so. It’s all about progress, not perfection.
If you want one-on-one help with your goals for the quarter, maybe my Goal Digger Coaching Program is just what you need. You can learn more here. If your busy schedule is standing in the way of your goals, you should check out my new time management mastery program Transform Your Time, Transform Your Writing. Schedule your free strategy session so we can chat about your goals and decide which program is right for you.