4th Quarter Reboot — How to Get And Stay Organized to Win

When I started my business in 1999, I was less than organized in my approach to success. I tried to keep my calendar organized through a combination of notepads and memory. It was not a winning combination. I started my business in September of 1999, so my 4th Quarter came quickly. I missed an appointment early on and didn’t want to do it again. So, I came up with a plan.

1. Have a Plan.
   I wanted to generate a minimum of one new client per week for the remainder of the year. I knew that it took me between 5 and 10 appointments to get to one new client. So, I set my absolute at 10 appointments per week. This would take me roughly 50 connected phone calls per week to get the 10 appointments. I scheduled the time on Monday to make all the calls and to set the 10 appointments.
2. Make a Schedule.
   Keeping a schedule matters in so many ways. Keeping your Circadian Rhythm in check allows your body to adjust to your objectives. Get enough sleep for yourself. Get proper exercise. Eat well. And during working hours, work toward a definite chief aim. When you put your life on a calendar, it is real. When you put your life on a to-do list, it is a hope. Hope is not a strategy for success. At the end of each day, review what you accomplished for the day and make sure you have a schedule for the next day. Doing this will help you avoid distractions and achieve great outcomes.
3. Do What Matters before What Doesn’t.
   I mapped out the most important things to my success, the activities I could correlate to serving customers and generating revenue. I then allocated time to those activities first during the day. Whatever is the most important should receive your first attention. I had my “key 3” most important things to do allocated to be done before noon every day.

Far too many people make excuses for their life’s not what they wanted it to be. They complain that life isn’t fair, or that they weren’t born into the right family, or that chasing their dream is just too hard. In this life, we can either have our excuses or our success, but we will never have both. The 4th quarter represents the last opportunity to live the life you desire. For some, this is the 4th quarter of the year. For others, it is the 4th quarter of life itself. No matter your 4th quarter, it isn’t too late to start chasing the life you desire. If you will have a plan, make a schedule, and do what matters, you will find that the life you desire will begin to chase you.

We attract to us that which we put into the world. The world itself wants to know how you are going to play the game of life before it gives you the score. Play life with passion. Play life with impact. Play life with all the talent you have. You’ve got this!