“Regardless of what came before or of what has yet to come, what matters most right now is how I choose to respond to the challenge before me. Will I lie down or will I fight? The choice is mine and I choose to Finish Strong.”

~Dan Green, Finish Strong

"Finishing Strong" is my theme for the 4th quarter of 2011. It's the theme for me every 4th quarter. There's something about knowing that I only have one month left in this year to get those plans I made executed and complete the projects I started during the current year that's motivating. For me, the sense of urgency makes me push a little harder, just like a runner who hits a wall 22 miles into a marathon.

Here are a few things you may need to get completed and cleaned up in order to finish strong this year:

• Clear the clutter – There's nothing like looking around your environment (your office, home, car, garage, etc.) and clearing out the clutter – those items I no longer need which not only don't support me, but are draining me. I find every time I do this, I make room in my life for better things.

• Close open loops - These are tasks or projects that you just haven't quite finished up. You know the ones. That pile of clothes you have 1/2 sorted that need to be taken to Goodwill. Your tax information that's half compiled and sitting in piles on your dining room table. The papers that need to be filed in your office. Make a list of all of your unfinished projects and start completing them, one by one.

• Remember your year - This one is really important. Sit down with your calendar and go back to January. Now flip through it, week by week, and remember all that you've accomplished. Take a second when you hit on a big win and congratulate yourself. If something that wasn't such a success comes up for you, find a way to forgive yourself (or someone else) and let it go.
  
  
• Dust off your goals - Finally, look at the goals you set at the beginning of this year. If you still have some unfinished business with yourself, think about why you set that particular goal in the first place and if it's still important to you. If it is, will you carry it forward into 2012 or complete it before the end of the year?
  

Finally, once you've worked your way through the above areas, you'll be ready to create a strong plan for 2012 and begin implementing it as soon as the new year begins.

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Julie Anne Jones is a direct sales corporate consultant, coach, and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, and to read her weekly blog posts, visit her at www.julieannejones.com.