Finish Impeccably

People crave the opportunity to work with (or work for) someone who stays on their A-game till the end of the game. So, as the end of the year approaches I encourage you to finish impeccably.

Finishing impeccably is challenging. When we come to the end of the year it's tempting to neglect the last stage. We get distracted. We lose energy or motivation. Another crisis emerges. Yet when we lose focus at the end we risk losing everything.

Here are a couple of strategies for finishing 2008 impeccably:

Go Back to the Beginning
Review your goals. What did you set out to achieve in each dimension of your life? Is there still work to do? Schedule time (remember, what gets scheduled, gets done) to complete your goals. It could be as simple as making a phone call. Completing a to do. Or recommitting to one of your daily best practices. Not only will this ensure that 2008 was your best year ever, it sets you up to start 2009 with a clean slate.

Review Your Performance
Open your journal and write the story of your year. What happened? What did you do? What surprised you? Remember to list all of the things you accomplished (especially those that weren't on your goal list). You'll be surprised at how much you did. (Tip: look at your calendar/schedule for the year to see how you invested your time.)

Lessons
Write down the five to ten lessons that you learned this year. Ensure that you don't lose these lessons by incorporating them into your goals for next year.

Recognize People
Few things are as powerful as a sincere, hand-written thank-you note. Share your gratitude with those who helped you this year. Tell them how they helped you and what it meant to you.

Original Source:
http://www.robinsharma.com

Quotes to Reflect On

"Champions are made not by how they start but by how they show up under pressure. And at the end." Robin Sharma "All endeavour calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one characteristic we must possess if we are to face the future as finishers." Henry David Thoreau "Blaming others is excusing yourself and sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves and make things happen to get the results you want." Robin Sharma