3 Things Needed for a Strong 4th Quarter
Most of us have probably all seen a football or basketball team play a very strong 4th quarter to win a game against a tough opponent; make a memorable comeback, or just flat out beat a team they really have no right to beat.
There’s power in the “4th quarter”, and it applies not just to sports—which is a good thing as the majority of us are not actively competing any more. It applies to life, and our next 4th quarter begins in less than two month as we step into the end of 2017.
So, here are 3 things you may want to consider that I cover in our Managing Yourself and Your Stuff workshop:
1. DEVELOP YOUR VISION FOR YOUR 4th QUARTER
Transport yourself to December 31st and ask yourself the question: What needs to be real in my life? As you ponder this question and develop your answer you’ll likely begin to break it down into the key areas of your life. What needs to be real with your family and key relationships…your health…your wealth…your career…your Faith or Spirituality…your creativity…your fun and leisure life? These are the big ones that show up for people, but please add any others that have your attention. I’d then suggest you write it down in story form as if it already happened, in past tense and with detail. You can write it on paper, or your computer or phone; one guy I was with years ago recorded it as a voice memo on his phone to listen to a few times each week. The key then is to read it and focus on it.
2. TAKE ACTION
Not much happens without action. When you read your vision in past tense, you’ll likely become aware of the actions you need to take to drive the vision to reality. Capture these actions and be sure you get them on your to-do list. Keep one list that is current and easy to engage with. I keep mine in Outlook tasks and calendar, and assign due dates so the tasks sit at the bottom of my calendar in the daily task list. I’ll advise against using your email inbox and/or your head as your to-list. Your inbox is usually not defined by the action and its priority, it’s simply the loading dock of your life where a lot of information lands; focus to convert it into clear actions. Microsoft Outlook has a great function called Quick Steps that can automate this process so you move easier and faster. And your head is just plain unreliable when it comes to holding on, remembering and prioritizing the actions we need to take.
3. EVOLVE
To evolve is to undergo continuous and gradual change. Look back to the first 3 quarters of this year and celebrate your accomplishments, learn from your mistakes and poor choices (think Tom Brady and last year’s Super Bowl), and press on into the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018 with focus, energy and happiness. Peace!