Your goals are not a “set it and forget it” type of thing. More often than not, our most important goals demand our long-term time, attention, and focus. This is why quarterly planning is so important when keeping a journal.
A quarter-year plan does two things. First, it looks back at the past quarter. This is when you’ll see just how strict you’ve been with your goals so far and what obstacles you’ve had to overcome. Second, you need to look forward to re-imagining the months ahead.
It’s all a balancing act. A good quarter-year plan will balance accountability and flexibility. If that sounds complicated –don’t sweat. Your journal can make this process easy and even enjoyable.
Why Quarterly Planning Matters
There’s a reason businesses have regular check-ins every 3 months. It gives just enough time for habits to settle in and make an impact. Review any later and you risk getting lost. On the other hand, you can easily overplan if you review all the time. Quarterly planning puts you right in the middle. Not too little or too much.
Quarter-year plans are also great because they are simple. You don’t need to be super detailed like you might be in a weekly planner and you also don’t need the depth of a yearly life plan. Instead, think of your quarterly plans as a gentle redirect.
Big Goals Need Small Steps
Our wildest dreams and biggest fears have a lot in common. It is completely normal to be intimidated by a large project or lifestyle change.
One of the best ways to face this fear is to break up big goals into smaller steps. Quarterly planning means that you’ll naturally have 4 goal posts every year. This takes a lot of pressure off the end of the year and spreads it around to all the other seasons.
For example, let’s say you wanted to build an emergency fund this year. With a quarterly plan, you can break up your savings goals into smaller chunks. Trust me, that’s going to be way easier on your cash flow.
Pivot Potential
Sometimes plans do work out. When that happens, it’s important to pivot as soon as you can. That is why quarterly planning is such a beautiful thing.
Instead of going along with something that isn’t working, a good quarterly check-in will stop you dead in your tracks. Then you can see what needs to change in the short term. Once again, the key here is being gentle. The solution is rarely a complete overhaul of values and habits. Subtle changes go a long, long way.
Time to Celebrate
People often overlook how important it is to celebrate every victory. Whether big or small, celebrations give us a lot of motivational fuel. Everybody needs a little ego boost now and again.
When you look back at the last quarter, keep an eye out for your successes. While it is important to hold yourself accountable to your goals, it’s also very easy to lose yourself in self-criticism. Give yourself the gift of an unbiased review. That means noticing the wins just as much as you notice the L’s.
Journal Prompts for Your Quarterly Planning Session
To set up a solid quarter-year plan in your journal, pick at least one of the journal prompts from each of these three sections. No need to overdo it. Remember, the goal is to gently guide yourself back to your best path.
Prompts to Realign Yearly Goals
· What is the next small step you need to take towards your goal?
· Are there any goals that didn’t get much attention last quarter? What other priorities got in the way of that goal?
· Have you had any failed attempts at meeting a goal? How do you feel about that goal now?
· Do any of your previous goals feel more or less important this quarter?
Prompts to Redirect
· What seems to be inefficient about your life right now?
· What is really grabbing your attention lately?
· Do you want to shift your priorities over the next few months? How so?
· In what ways do you need more support?
· How was your level of self-care last quarter? Does this need to be adjusted?
Prompts to Rejoyce
· Have you achieved any goals this quarter? How did / will you celebrate this victory?
· How would you like to celebrate your next success?
· What accomplishment are you most proud of this quarter?
· What success are you looking forward to the most next quarter?
