As the year winds down, many of us throw in the towel and forfeit the opportunity to finish the year strong. We assume that time is against us and that we are powerless against its tide. I want to share four simple steps to ensure you finish this year STRONG.
As I write, it’s 77 Days to New Year’s Eve. That’s eleven weeks to December 31, 2017. For some of us just hearing this would trigger panic. We begin to think of our goals and [probably] how far we are from our planned bullseye, and get discouraged. Does this sound familiar? Does it describe what you are feeling right now?
I’ll ask you not to fret, but follow the following steps. With focus and some elbow grease I am certain you will finish the year strong. I know that you can achieve much more in the remaining weeks than you ever thought possible.
These steps are available for you to download as a PDF Infographic here.
Related Reading: 8 Ways to Finish the Year Strong
Revisit Your Goals
When you created your goals for the year did you write them down? Some people simply come up with resolutions and wishes and keep these in their heads. It’s no wonder many of these resolutions and wishes aren’t being actualized, isn’t it?
I run an annual goals setting workshop, and at this workshop I not only help attendees cast SMART (Specific, Measureable, Actionable, Relatable and Time-bound) goals; I also insist they write these goals in our Goals Tracking Journal. This way, one can revisit the goals, connect with the energy and enthusiasm felt when the goals where first cast; but most importantly so that each person can track their performance.
[Contact us to get more information about our upcoming Goals Seminar]
Whittle Your Goals
So, you have your goals before you now; you will need to separate your goals in two distinct categories.
Draw a table with two columns. Column one will be for deficient goals (I will tell you what that means shortly). Column two will be for efficient goals.
For this exercise, deficient goals are goals on your list that:
- Are no longer realistic giving changes in the marketplace and business environment (government policies, business feasibility, your priorities, your location etc.)
- Have no end date. Remember that your goals ideally must be SMART; so if there is no end date the goal is not SMART. Also, if you did not have an end date to the goal, it mustn’t have been that pressing an aspiration to begin with; and can therefore be rescheduled with very little hassle, right?
- Are vague and unclear. If you have any trouble understanding what it was you wanted to achieve with a particular goal, it’s vague.
- Have the least impact on the picture of the life you want to live. These are really just feel good goals, not life changing goals.
- These deficient goals go into column 1. What you have left are SMART goals, which go into column 2. In column 2 you have goals that if achieved will make your life a semblance of the picture of your dreams.
You need to be ruthlessly efficient whittling down your goals. Ideally at this point you should have no more than 2 or at most 4 goals to work with. If you have more than 4 goals here, I have to ask: how many goals did you cast for yourself? Having too many goals is one reason why a lot of us DO NOT attain our aspirations.
To finish the year strong you will focus on the goals in Column 2.
Create a Winning Plan
There is a popular quote by Sun Tzu the famous Chinese military strategist.
He says ‘Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.’
All of the points I’m offering you are strategies to finishing the year strong. But this strategy of creating a winning plan contains your tactics to ensure victory.
What you need to do for each of your efficient goals is to come up every week with three action plans you will execute in that week to take you a step closer to your goal.
Imagine that your goal was getting to the top of an eleven rung ladder, each action step will help you successfully scale one rung each week to ensure you get to the top at the end of the year. I call these the ‘WEEKLY 3 in 7’! That’s three action steps executed over 7 days that will take you a step closer to your goal. 
The power behind this is really explosive. But you have to ensure that:
- You document your action steps each week. Write them down in your daily journal. Be reflective about it, get intimately involved with the moving parts of your plan.
- Review your progress regularly. This way you won’t go off course. Look at this like using a compass to navigate uncharted territories. You won’t keep you compass in your luggage, will you? No. You will constantly refer to your compass to ensure that you stay on track.
- Celebrate wins. Celebrating oneself may sound alien to some of us, but it is so powerful as it releases new enthusiasm and energy to forge ahead to the next milestone.
Become Accountable
Sometimes just telling someone your plan and focus on finishing the year strong will box you into taking action on executing this plan. This works, but its more effective to engage accountability buddy/coach.
We’ve heard Oprah talk about the power of accountability. Accountability helps us when we get tired and weary in our push to finish strong. You have someone(s) who encourages you, motivates you and ensures you are doing exactly what you said you would do to finish the year strong.
Your accountability partner will not take no for an answer; nor will he/she accept your excuses as a reason you cannot finish the year strong.
Not everyone can be your accountability partner. Your partner must be someone who:
- Isn’t intimidated by you
- You respect
- Understands what’s at stake for you (and won’t belittle your goal)
- Is trustworthy
- Will take pleasure in your success
- Has a stake in your success
- Will make time and take interest in your progress
- Doesn’t not live too far from you that communication and access between both of you is hindered.
Your accountability partner could be your Life Coach, Counsellor, Mentor, Spiritual Leader etc. and he or she will help you not get distracted.
Related Reading: 5 Important Tips for Choosing the Best Accountability Partner
Do you really want to finish this year strong? Do you really? Really? Then the next steps after reading this are to:
- Revisit your goals
- Whittle down your goals
- Create a winning plan
- Get accountable
Will you be implementing any of these tips? Leave a comment or contact me directly so I know. I could help you get accountable and provide inspiration so you finish this year strong.
The gains of finishing the year strong are so powerful in that not only do you have a deep sense of accomplishment, you also are taking productive strides in your development. Furthermore, the inertia you generate from finishing the year strong provides kinetic energy in the following year and helps you live the life of your dreams. It is beneficial to finish the year strong.
I am rooting for you! I know you will finish this year strong.
