The year is already through the first quarter and for most people, that means New Year's resolutions are long-abandoned, progress towards annual goals is far less than 25% complete, and so much of the careful planning for the year has been thrown off by the reality on the ground. It's time to embrace the spirit of Spring and restart for the new quarter.
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I love making detailed plans that guide me from my major goals through milestones and down to the tasks to complete. I see my perfect block schedule on my calendar--especially at the start of the year--and can't wait to see it all come together.
But then reality hits. Meetings I didn't plan for. New priorities I didn't anticipate. New demands on my time for family, friends, and community events.
That is why we can't let too much time go by before we re-calibrate our plans and get back on track. And the start of the second quarter is a perfect time to embrace this process and re-commit to our goals.
Here's a simple plan to get back on track:
1. Review your past quarter
Set aside an hour to review the quarter just ended.
Start with the highlights including both planned achievements as well as unexpected positive experiences, connections, and outcomes. What was happening when you were at your best? What outcomes are you proudest about?
Now, review the frustrations, blockers, and results that fell short of your targets. What unexpected barriers emerged? What were the elements that disappointed the most? What experiences would you like to prevent repeating?
- Capture the highlights and the conditions that supported those positive results
- Note the problems and challenges with a focus on useful lessons for the future
- Reflect on what might have been one-off surprises in the last quarter vs. changes that are likely to persist into the future, too
The goal is insight--not self-shaming. Don't beat yourself up over misses. See them, learn from them, and let them go recognizing them simply as the price of tuition.
2. Refresh your perspective
Before we turn to goals and plans, this is a great time to mark the change from one planning period to the next.
One of my favorite ways to do this is to change my environment for at least a day or longer if possible. Consider what might work for you.
- Work from a new location
- Go camping for a weekend, take a long hike, go for an extended bike ride, or take a drive to a new spot and spend a few hours outside
- Change your commute route, timing, or method for a few days
- Make a week of meals at home or head to new restaurants for a few days
Break your patterns to refresh your creative thinking. You might be surprised how much working in a coffeeshop for a few hours might make your to-do list and planning feel fresh and different.
3. Focus on your BHAG
Remember your BHAG? Your big hairy audacious goal that you set out to achieve by the end of the year?
Now it's time to go deep on your primary, ultimate goal for the year? Is that still the best way to serve your most important "WHY"?
There's a risk in changing your BHAG. Are you just chasing the next shiny object or have your priorities really changed? Sometimes, yes, but usually, they haven't.
If your priorities are still aligned and clear, recommit to your BHAG. If they've changed, identify what you really want to be celebrating at the end of the year.
Take a moment to reflect on what it will feel like in all respects to have achieved your goal. Describe it in present-tense terms. Write it down. Reinforce in your mind what kind of person you are having achieved that goal.
Great. Now you are ready to make it happen.
4. Work backwards from your outcome
With your BHAG firmly in mind, it's time to turn to the necessary milestones for this quarter and the tasks you'll need to complete to make that a reality over these next twelve weeks.
Ready to plan: heres's my compact guide from the start of the year to build out your own twelve week year plan for the next quarter.
- Start with your BHAG
- Break out the major milestones that will mark progress towards your goal
- Identify every task that will need to be completed to reach the stages you'll reach in the next quarter
- Make your twelve week year planโ
Action Summary
The spring quarter is one of the very best times to reset and get your plans for the year back on track.
- Reflect on the first part of the year
- Mark the change of quarter with a refresh to your environment
- Confirm your primary goal for the year, your BHAG
- Work backwards from the result to break out what you need to do and when you'll get it done this quarter
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What do you think? Reply to this email and let me know.
To your success,
Christopher
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