Hello Reader,

According to research by the University of Scranton, only 8% of people achieve their goals. 92% don’t.

You could be one of those few who reach the finish line with their goals.

Imagine how you would feel when you will accomplish that desire.

Quarterly planning can help you achieve your goals.

Quarterly planning is a framework to set specific goals and achieve them in the next three weeks.

It will help you focus on what matters most and dramatically level up your progress one quarter at a time.

I wasted months & years switching between shiny objects.

Focusing on many things has not served me in the past. Quarterly planning is a way of handling distractions, anxieties, FOMO (fear of missing out on opportunities), and staying focused on the most important goals.

It helps with the discipline to focus on one thing for 3 months.

What is quarterly planning?

Quarterly planning is a goal-setting framework to plan & achieve your significant goals in just 3 months.

You pick one or two specific goals for the quarter, break them into smaller steps and create your daily actions around those steps. Each year you get four quarters, each consisting of three months. By setting specific goals each quarter, you can maintain a short-term focus while still working towards your long-term objectives.

Any new idea (shiny object) goes into a queue for the next quarter.

Benefits of quarterly planning

Quarterly goal setting has many advantages.

Clarity & Focus

A quarter is long enough to achieve an important goal and short enough to maintain focus.

This focus brings clarity and energy to stay on track daily. You are not constantly deciding what to do and what not to do. Shorter timeframes help maintain a sense of urgency to focus on what matters most.

Avoid distraction from new ideas.

I call new ideas as shiny objects and add them to a queue for the next quarter.

This helps me calm my anxieties from the fear of missing out on opportunities related to that new idea and stay focused on the most important goals for the current quarter.

Easier to track and measure progress

The specificity of the quarter goals allows you to measure your progress weekly and adjust your plans. You feel accomplishment as you complete your weekly goals, and achieving quarterly goals brings tremendous energy & clarity for the next quarter.

Create momentum

Quarterly planning is a progressive approach in which you will build your long-term direction over time.

It encourages you to take action, create momentum and start moving in a direction regardless of whether it is your ultimate direction. So instead of figuring out everything in your life, let’s figure out the next quarter and start taking action.

Your actions will create momentum, and you can use that momentum to figure out a deeper version of yourself.

How to create your quarterly plan?

Step 1 - Pick your primary focus area for Q2

Consider all areas of your life, such as your work, family, friends, health, hobby, finance, spirituality, etc. and pick a primary area to focus on during Q2 (April to June 2023).

Step 2 - Pick one or two clear goals (projects)

List everything you want to do in the selected focus area, then define a few clear goals. Break them into the specific outcome you can achieve in the next three months.

Example of clear goals: Get a Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification (Exam AI-900) by June 31, 2023.

Example of unclear goals: Learn new skills or be more productive at work.

Step 3 - Write a one-line summary of why that goal is essential to you.

What will be the positive impact on your life after achieving it in your life? What will be the negative impact if you do not work on it?

Example,

Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification can help in career and professional growth. It will make you more attractive to potential employers and help you stand out from other candidates in the job market.

On the other hand, without this certification, you might miss out on job opportunities, promotions, or projects that require the specific knowledge and skills it provides. Not having the certification could make you less competitive in the job market than certified candidates.

Step 4 - Build your action plan by breaking selected goals into smaller monthly & weekly goals.

Break the goal into smaller goals and then translate them into weekly & daily action steps.

For example, earning Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification in the next three months will require training, study, and examination.

List these activities and arrange them in a three-month timeline.

This will provide you your monthly & weekly targets.

Step 5 - Identify your daily actions.

A good strategy only works if you take consistent action. Goals are achieved through consistent daily activities.

For example, create a daily plan to learn about AI concepts and principles, such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing.

Also, identify your blockers.

Items that will stop you from working on your top goals. So anything that takes the majority of your time & energy during a typical day.

Step 6 - Measure progress using weekly reviews.

A weekly review is a glue that sticks together your quarterly plan, daily actions and outcome.

Without a weekly review, you will have an excellent start but soon get distracted by other things. The weekly review lets you switch between your high-level quarterly plan and day-to-day actions. Every Sunday morning, do a quick review of the prior week. It’s a simple, effective way to close out the preceding week and set intentions for the week ahead.

During your weekly review, evaluate what you intended to do and what you accomplished. Also, compare overall progress toward your goal.

Quarterly Planning Workbook

You can download a free copy of my Quarterly Planning Workbook 📔 to set and achieve your quarterly goals. It was recently upgraded to version 3.0.

How do you drive to a faraway destination?

You put your destination on the map and then start driving toward it. Once you start driving, focus only on the map’s next 100-200 meters. In fact, during the night, your headlights can only show you the next 200 meters.

You can drive from Florida to NY with just 200-meter visibility.

Once in a while, you would zoom out and see a high-level view of your direction. You ensure that the map is still taking you to the destination. Once done, you are back to your 200-meter view.

Quarterly planning is your 100-200 meter view.

That's a wrap,

I hope this will encourage you to set quarterly goals to make your 2023 a blast. ⚡🚀.

Your Friend,
Vinod

You can DM me on 👉 Twitter @VinodSharma10x ​

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