It’s
that time of year again! The summer is coming to an end, September is almost
half way done (whew) and fall is right around the corner. You know what that
means…the end is near! No, not THAT end (I hope). I’m talking about the end of
the year! 2017 is nearing to a close and for many this can be either a good or
bad thing. A good thing because a new year means new opportunities and a chance
to reset and start fresh, and a bad thing if you look at the previous months,
look at your goals and realize that the year probably did not go as well as you
originally hoped. No matter where you stand, we all have a chance to finish
stronger than we started and end this year with a bang!
In
basketball, the 4th quarter can be the most intense. The tension is
high, the players are tired, but their adrenaline and determination pushes them
to give their all until the last second of the game. A lot can change in those
final minutes! A team can go from a twenty point lead to losing the game and
vice versa - all in the 4th quarter. I look at each year the same
way. I call it The 4th Quarter Finish! While the start of the year
is very important, the end of the year is as well and in some cases it’s even
more important. The end of the year can also determine how you will start the
New Year. Having a positive attitude, a plan and staying motivated not only
helps you finish the year strong, but it also helps you start the new year even
stronger. This can be tough, especially if you look back and realize the year
did not go as planned. Maybe you got off track and never found the time or
motivation to get your focus back or you look at your list of goals and see
that you haven’t gotten to the point of crossing anything off. Maybe you wanted
to build your savings and life events got in the way. And PLEASE don’t get me
started on weight loss and body goals (#workingonmysummer2018body)! Whatever it
may be, it’s never too late to start over, get focused and finish the year on
the right foot!
I
started implementing The 4th Quarter Finish years ago as a way to
motivate and encourage me to reach some goals before the year ended and to help
me leave certain habits and routines behind going into the New Year. My
birthday is also at the very end of December, and I always make it a point to
reflect and go into the New Year and new age better than I was before. Although
it seems like the end of the year is approaching very rapidly, we still have
109 days remaining in 2017. Believe it or not that is plenty of time to
reorganize, create some new habits, plan and finish this year off right so you
can bring 2018 the right way!
Here’s
how you can get organized and end this year with a bang!
1.
Take honest Inventory. When
looking to reorganize and plan, it is very important to take inventory of the things
that have been done and the things that remain to help you reach your goals. I
try to do this as often as I remember and, as humbling as it is, it really
helps me to see where I am in my goals. I look at all that I’ve accomplished and the things I just have not been able to get around to and I may even add more to the list as a way to
challenge myself. This also helps me determine if I have too much on my plate
and if I need to cut back and only focus on a few things at a time. There are
many ways you can do this. You can create a doc with a list of your short terms
and long term goals, when you want to accomplish each one by and a check box
beside each one so that you can check them off as you complete them. I don’t
recommend deleting the goals as you accomplish them because it helps to see how
far you’ve come. I’m more of a pen and notepad kind of girl, so I write mine
down in my Goals and Ideas journal and refer to it often to take a self
inventory. As I accomplish various ones, I check them off and I may even add
more depending on the ideas I have floating around at that time. Whatever your
method of gathering and storing your checklist, this will help you plan and
organize your goals for the remainder of the year!
2.
Keep It Real. After
taking inventory, mapping our your goals and planning for the last 109 days of
the year, it is important to make sure the deadline you have for each goal is
realistic. Remember, Rome was not built in a day. It takes true time and
dedication to make things happen, especially if you have multiple goals on your
list after you have taken your inventory. The goal doesn’t have to necessarily
be to have each one accomplished by December 31st. I have a few
goals that are going to pour over into next year, and that’s okay if you do as
well! Don’t let that discourage you or force you to give up on yourself.
Greatness takes time and before you know it, January will be here and you’ll be
close to checking those goals off your list and adding new ones!
3.
Stay Booked. Booked
and busy! Those are my two favorite words as I finish out the 4th
Quarter of 2017. When you are busy staying productive on your goals, you are
bound to make them happen. We do so many things on a day to day basis and
before we know it, a week has gone by and we have yet to sit down and cater to
our goals. We go to work, hang out and do everything under the sun except what
we need to do to take us to the next level. This is why creating a schedule for
yourself and sticking to it is so very important. Many goals require us to make
time outside of our regular work schedule. Getting in shape requires a workout
schedule AND time to cook healthy meals. Starting a business requires a set
schedule to devote to planning, building, organizing and research. For me,
creating blog content for Briana, I Am requires me to have to write a little
bit every day. If I did not stick to my writing schedule, I would in no way be
able to post on a weekly basis. So, stay booked! Don’t be afraid or feel bad to
decline plans with family and friends to focus on whatever it is that you are
working on. You will never go wrong betting and taking time for yourself and the things you want to accomplish. Don’t cancel and flake on yourself! You got this!
I hope these three tips help you get organized and focused to finish this year ON TOP! Now, as we are stepping out of summer
and into the fall, it is so easy to get comfortable and cozy while we allow the
days to pass us by. I know I am ready to drink hot chocolate, eat loads of soup
and chili and curl on my couch with my favorite blanket and TV shows! While
there will be a time for all of that, it’s important not to get too comfy that
we forget about our goals and we finish this year on top! Some days I look back
on the previous months and get discouraged and I just want to give up and start
over on January 1st…but I am not falling for it! There is still
plenty of time to get a lot done and check some accomplishments off my list and
you can check some off yours too! Only look back to see how far you have come.
Stay focused, organize your goals, create your plan and fill up your planner. Let’s
finish this 4th Quarter strong!
Let’s motivate one another! Drop a
comment below to share some of the goals you're organizing, your plan for your 4th
Quarter Finish or even spread some motivation to others! Let’s Grow and Glow
together!
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