The 4th Quarter Finish: How to end the year on top

 

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 4^th 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 4^th quarter. I look at each year the same way. I call it The 4^th 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 4^th 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 31^st. 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 4^th 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 1^st…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 4^th Quarter strong!

Let’s motivate one another! Drop a comment below to share some of the goals you're organizing, your plan for your 4^th Quarter Finish or even spread some motivation to others! Let’s Grow and Glow together!