Finish Strong Without Losing Your Mind
Can anyone else believe it’s almost November? Didn’t I just make my 2026 goals yesterday? I remember January. I was ambitious, motivated, and armed with goals and a plan to make them happen.
Now it's October, and I’m kind of tired. The part of me who still wants to make meaningful progress this year is trying to outwit the lazybones who just wants to lay down and let the year end with a whimper.
So, in the interest of getting my own rear in gear, I am offering three ideas for how to make the most out of the rest of the year.
Review Your Remaining Goals—Remember those goals you set in January? Look at what you intended to accomplish. What’s complete? What’s still realistic? What sounded brilliant in January but now makes you wonder what you were thinking? For me, the goal of trying one new recipe a month has me scratching my head. I really do not enjoy cooking, so why would I want to do more of it? It’s a relief to realize that not every goal deserves a last-minute rescue mission. Instead, identify the priorities that will make the biggest difference and focus your energy there.
Reallocate Your Resources—You probably started the year with a beautiful plan for your time, people, and budget. Then reality showed up, once again, without an appointment. Take a fresh look at where your resources are going. Are you working on projects that no longer matter? Shift time, attention, and support toward the work that matters most. Finishing strong sometimes means deciding what you’re not going to do.
Communicate Urgency—There’s a difference between urgency and panic. Urgency sounds like, “Here’s what matters, why it matters, and how we’ll get it done.” Panic sounds like, “EVERYBODY DROP EVERYTHING! WE HAVE SIX WEEKS!” Nobody does their best work when the boss acts like the building is on fire. Tell your team what success looks like. Clarify expectations, remove obstacles, and recognize progress. People need a destination, not a daily emergency.
We can’t change the first ten months of 2026, but we can influence the final two. Let’s agree to finish 2026 strong. And if your January goal was to get organized, congratulations. There’s still time to find that list.