It’s that time again … Harvest season is upon us. From apple picking to sunny afternoons at the pumpkin patch selecting just the right size and shape for your inevitable jack-o-lantern; the feeling that Mother Nature is reaping the rewards of her hard work is all around. I have always found this time of year to be particularly energizing for this reason. A reminder to pause and take stock of all of the hard work and effort I have put in, to cultivate my successes, and to determine my best path forward.
In standard benchmarks, now is the time that you should be at 80% of your annual goal. When considering the traditional break down of “quarterly” reviews, October brings the official start to the “final” quarter of 2018. Does that realization startle you? Here are a few quick things you can do during that will help you recognize just how far you’ve come, and better prepare for where you need to go from here.
1. Cultivate your successes: Begin by reviewing the results of your last 12-week-year (or last quarter if you’ve yet to join us on this journey.) Focus in on the successes you’ve had. What goals did you set that you were able to achieve? Did you gain any new clients? Make significant sales? Maybe you met a new connection who will be invaluable to the development of your business. Make a list and take the time to celebrate each one. In doing so, you’re giving yourself the chance to revel in all that your hard work has gone into achieving, and that’s a great thing.
2. Reflect on the “failures”: Failures are inevitable and can often provide the best learning lessons for how to move forward and achieve MORE than you set out to in the beginning. This doesn’t mean, however, that they aren’t a tough “pill to swallow” and no one enjoys having to reflect on where they went wrong. This is such a critical step, as understanding the failures helps to give you an indication of where you need to focus your energy and attention to maximize your success this year.
3. Prioritize what’s left: You’ve celebrated your successes and reflected on the failures – where do you go from here? It’s time to prioritize what’s left, reviewing how far you need to go to reach 100% of your goal and attacking those things that are most attainable or realistic to the time, energy, and capital you have now to ensure you make the most substantial impact on your business and set yourself up for even greater success going into 2019. By not prioritizing your remaining “to-achieves”, you run the risk of chasing goals which are too large or missing out on smaller victories which could combine to more effectively drive your overall business targets. Planning now also means that as we venture into a new calendar year, you are in the best position possible to begin achieving more in less time.
Let’s get focused on SUCCESS. Our “Harvest Success” Program is available now and provides you the tools you need to work through all of the above, positioning yourself, your business, your team for the greatest possible outcome in the next 12-weeks!
If you are interested in this, or in learning how to adapt the 12-week-year into your organization to start achieving more in 12-weeks than most do in 12-months, email success@keyelement.ca today!