First Quarter Over – How Are You Doing
First Quarter Over – How Are You Doing? By Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC
For those who create their annual plans based on the calendar year, we have just completed the first quarter. 
How did you do?
Are you on track?
Have you checked your progress?
Are you still engaged and interested?
One of the most important activities with goal setting is tracking performance. Now is a great time to review what’s working and not working so you can adjust whatever needs to be adjusted to get you back on track with you goals. Now is the time to pull out your plan and see how you’ve done.
Here are key questions to ask:
1) Have the goals been achieved to date? If yes – celebrate and acknowledge the progress. If No: the following questions should be considered:
2) Are the goals achievable in the given timeframe? Are they still realistic? If yes then how will you achieve them) (create action steps). If No, what needs to happen differently?
3) Do the timelines still work or should they be changed?
4) Are there adequate resources to realize the goal? (e.g, money, manpower, equipment)
5) What priorities need to change to shift the focus to this plan?
6) Are the goals still a priority or have things changed?
7) What has been learned this first quarter that can be applied to ensure the success of the second quarter.
8) What is the date of the follow up for the second quarter?
All the activities, discussions and changes done during a milestone check in should be documented and kept for reference at the next check in. This will make sure any recurring issues can be highlighted and address.
One of my favourite thought leaders Brian Tracy compares setting and achieving goals to that of a flight plan of an airline pilot. They are off course more than they are on, yet they still reach their destinations. Why? Because they have a plan and they are prepared to deal with whatever turbulence that comes their way. In fact Brian estimates we are off as much as 99% of the time. I often think of this analogy when I find myself off track towards my goals. By taking a deep breath, review my plan and get back on track as quickly as possible works for me.
What about you? What gets you back on track?
“In order for you to reach this unlimited potential, your first and greatest responsibility to yourself is to become absolutely clear about what it is that you really want. When you are absolutely clear about who you are, what you want, and where you want to go, you will accomplish ten times as must as the average person, and much faster as well” Brian Tracy