Sunday, September 26, 2010

Make 4th Quarter Count For Achieving Your Business Goals

The Fourth Quarter of 2010 is about to arrive.

Wow, in just days we will hit the ending quartile of the year and many people are not living up to their own goals, hopes, dreams, and wishes that they had envisioned for 2010. Most people, whether they set formal written goals or not, do think about the future at milestones like New Years Day. They want to take action in a new year to bring greater success into their life. But wishing alone will not make it happen.

If at any point in Q4 2009 you thought about how much you wanted to accomplish in 2010, and then have not achieved the mark.... do not despair. Having target goals is not always about total achievement, but instead about the habits your create while working to achieve them. If you are behind, now is NOT the time to forget your desires, either. I find those who say "oh well" and start fantasizing about 2011, and then repeat the same thing year after year.

With three months left on the calendar we can still make a difference in how the year finishes. I consulted with a lawyer in Q1 who wanted to create and act upon a business plan that would help him win more business and grow his reputation in the community. His plan was completed by March 31st, but he has done nothing in the following two quarters that could be considered "action steps". That's normal, we all get busy, and having a focus on new business development and a personal brand are learned habits that take time to become a regular part of our lives. Now that he sees how easy it is to do nothing with his plan, the time has come to get realistic and decide what he is going to do to make 2010 at least a partial success.

If any of this resonates with you, then take action in October, November and December to push your career forward. Get over the standard rationalization that "nobody works much in the holiday season, so I will wait until January". LAME. The most successful people work in all seasons! Join them.

Have A Great Day.

thom

No comments: