Can you believe we’re almost in November?

It feels like we were just celebrating the beginning of the year, setting goals, making plans, and talking about everything we were going to accomplish.

And now, here we are. The final stretch.

Let me ask you something.

How are you doing with those goals you set back in January?

Maybe you’ve accomplished some of them. Maybe you’ve exceeded your own expectations. Or maybe you’re looking at your list and realizing there are things you haven’t even started.

And if that’s you, I want you to hear something.

The year isn’t over.

I think sometimes we get so caught up in what we haven’t accomplished that we forget how much we can still do with the time we have left.

We start telling ourselves things like:

“I’ll get serious about it in January.”

“I’ll start fresh next year.”

“There’s not enough time left to make a difference.”

But why?

Why do we give a date on the calendar so much power over what we believe is possible?

January 1st isn’t magical. It’s another day.

And while I love the excitement of a fresh start, I don’t believe we need to wait for a new year to make a new decision.

You don’t need a new year to create a new result. You need a new decision followed by action.

So if you’re ready to finish the year strong, here are five things I want you to think about.

1. Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time

How many times have you told yourself you’ll start something when things slow down?

When the kids are back in school.

When business settles down.

When you have more money.

When you feel more confident.

When the timing is better.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

Life doesn’t suddenly clear your calendar and hand you the perfect opportunity to pursue your goals.

There’s always going to be something.

And if you keep waiting for everything to line up perfectly, you may find yourself having the same conversation with yourself a year from now.

I’ve experienced this in my own life and business. There have been plenty of times when I had to move forward without knowing exactly how everything was going to work out.

Was it always comfortable? Absolutely not.

But I also know that if I had waited until I felt completely ready, I would have missed opportunities that helped me grow.

You don’t have to have everything figured out.

You just have to be willing to take the next step.

2. Get Honest About What’s Working and What Isn’t

This is a big one.

Sometimes we’re so busy doing what we’ve always done that we never stop to ask whether it’s actually working.

We get attached to our routines, our strategies, and even our excuses.

But if you want different results, you have to be willing to look at what you’re doing and evaluate it honestly.

Let’s say you’re an entrepreneur who wants to grow your business.

You’ve been working long hours, posting on social media, attending networking events, and doing everything you think you’re supposed to do.

But your revenue hasn’t grown.

At some point, you have to ask yourself:

Are these activities actually producing results?

Am I having enough conversations with potential clients?

Am I following up?

Am I spending my time on the things that will move my business forward, or am I simply staying busy?

And this doesn’t just apply to business.

It applies to your health, your relationships, your personal growth, and just about anything else you want to improve.

You can’t change what you’re unwilling to acknowledge.

Getting honest with yourself isn’t about beating yourself up over what hasn’t worked.

It’s about giving yourself the opportunity to do something differently.

3. Pay Attention to What You’re Telling Yourself

If you’ve followed my work or read my book, The MORE Mindset, you know how strongly I believe that what we think and believe influences the results we create.

And this is especially important when we’re approaching the end of the year.

Because it’s easy to look at what hasn’t happened and start creating a story around it.

“I’m behind.”

“I never follow through.”

“I’m not good at this.”

“Maybe I’m just not capable of doing what I thought I could.”

Sound familiar?

Now think about what happens when you repeatedly tell yourself those things.

Your focus shifts toward everything that isn’t working. You start feeling discouraged or frustrated. And those feelings begin influencing the actions you take, or don’t take.

This is something I teach because our beliefs influence our focus, our focus influences how we feel, and how we feel influences our actions. Those actions ultimately shape our results.

So before you decide what you’re going to do differently, pay attention to what you’ve been telling yourself.

Instead of saying, “I’m so far behind,” ask yourself, “What can I accomplish with the time I have left?”

Instead of saying, “I haven’t been consistent,” ask, “What would consistency look like for me starting today?”

And instead of deciding that this year has been a disappointment, ask yourself what it’s taught you.

The circumstances may not have changed.

But the way you’re choosing to look at them has.

And that can change what you do next.

4. Focus on What Actually Moves the Needle

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they’re trying to achieve a goal is attempting to do everything at once.

They create these enormous to-do lists, fill every hour of their day, and convince themselves that the more they do, the more they’ll accomplish.

But more activity doesn’t always mean more progress.

Sometimes it just means more exhaustion.

If you’re in sales and your goal is to increase revenue before the end of the year, spending hours reorganizing your office probably isn’t going to get you there.

Having meaningful conversations with potential clients might.

Following up with people who have already expressed interest might.

Asking for the sale might.

The same principle applies whether you’re leading a team, building a business, or working toward a personal goal.

You have to identify the actions that will make the greatest difference.

And then you have to make those actions a priority.

Not when you have extra time.

Not after you’ve completed everything else.

A priority.

Here’s something I want you to try.

Choose one goal you’d like to accomplish before December 31st.

Now identify the three most important actions that will help you get there.

Not twenty. Three.

And commit to doing them consistently.

Because it’s not about how much you can squeeze into your day. It’s about how much of what you’re doing is actually moving you forward.

5. Build Momentum Now, Not January 1st

There’s something powerful about momentum.

When you begin taking action, even small actions, you start creating evidence that you’re capable of moving forward.

You begin trusting yourself more.

You become more willing to take the next step.

And suddenly, that goal that once felt so far away starts feeling a little more attainable.

But here’s the thing.

Momentum doesn’t come from thinking about what you’re going to do.

It comes from doing it.

You don’t need to wait until January to begin building better habits, strengthening relationships, having more sales conversations, or making decisions that will move your life and business forward.

You can start today.

Imagine what could happen if you spent the next several weeks consistently taking meaningful action toward one important goal.

Maybe you won’t accomplish everything you originally planned for the year.

That’s okay.

But think about how differently you could enter January knowing you didn’t spend the last few months waiting for permission from the calendar to begin again.

You’d already be moving.

And that’s a much stronger place to start.

How Will You Choose to Finish This Year?

I want to leave you with something to think about.

At the beginning of every year, people get excited about what’s possible.

They set goals. They make promises to themselves. They imagine what life could look like if they finally accomplish the things they’ve been putting off.

But somewhere along the way, life happens.

Things don’t go according to plan.

We get distracted. We experience setbacks. We lose momentum.

And sometimes, without even realizing it, we start lowering our expectations.

But just because the year hasn’t gone exactly as you planned doesn’t mean you have to give up on what you wanted to accomplish.

Maybe your goal needs to change.

Maybe your strategy needs to change.

Maybe you need to let go of something that no longer serves you.

Or maybe you simply need to recommit to yourself.

Whatever it is, you still have a choice.

You can spend the remainder of the year thinking about what you wish you had done.

Or you can decide that you’re going to make the most of the time you have left.

You can’t change how you started the year, but you can absolutely influence how you finish it.

And I believe that’s worth getting excited about.

So here’s my challenge to you.

Before this day ends, write down one thing you want to accomplish before December 31st.

Then ask yourself:

What’s one action I can take in the next 24 hours to move closer to that goal?

And do it.

Don’t overthink it. Don’t wait until Monday. Don’t convince yourself you need another plan.

Take the action.

Because the difference between where you are and where you want to be isn’t always about having more time.

Sometimes it’s about what you decide to do with the time you already have.

The year isn’t over. And neither are your possibilities.

Let’s make things happen!

Ready to Turn Your Goals Into Results?

If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or sales professional who’s ready to stop spinning your wheels and start creating meaningful results, explore my Make Things Happen™ 12-Week Transformational Group Sales Coaching program.

We focus on the psychology of sales, the beliefs that influence performance, and the actions that help you move from potential to measurable results.

Visit DianaPagano.com to learn more.

About Diana Pagano

Diana Pagano is a USA Today National Bestselling Author, keynote speaker, and author of The MORE Mindset published by Wiley.

Through her speaking and coaching, she helps entrepreneurs, leaders, and high achievers close the gap between potential and performance.

Turning belief into action. Action into performance. Performance into results.