Here’s what I want to ask you: Will you finish strong, or just finish?
The holiday décor is up. The end of the year is coming whether we’re ready or not. And if you’re like most business owners, you’ve got faith commitments, family obligations, travel plans, holiday parties, and a business that’s still clamoring for attention. Much to do, right?
Anyone here struggle to filter out the noise and focus on what matters most? I was having lunch last week with someone I’ve worked with over the years—an amazing human—and she said exactly that: “It’s so hard to filter out the noise and focus on what matters most.”
I get it. We live in a world of distractions.
But here’s what I know after giving some version of this talk every single year since 2009: The people who step UP their level of engagement from now until year-end—while still doing holidays well—dramatically outperform those who coast.
Then, we build in processes right up front to adjust the sails to reach the goals along the way.
They join what I call The 20% Club.
What is The 20% Club?
You’ve probably heard of the Pareto Principle—roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of your efforts. These high-leverage actions are what I call your Critical Few Objectives (CFOs).
But here’s the other truth: A small percentage of entrepreneurs capture the majority of market share in their industries. Depending on your field, the numbers can be even more lopsided.
The goal is to be part of that 20%.
Two of the most relevant ways to accomplish this right now are:
- Having a contrarian 4Q focus (while many others slack off)
- Creating a plan for next year that’s different from what you did last year with built-in guardrails and adjustment reviews
Whether you’re killing it right now (way to go—let’s build your moat) or you’re struggling and building (we’re going to get very intentional about how you invest your time and resources), this message is for you.
Register for the FREE Finish Strong Webinar Here →
Here’s Our Thought for the Day
Success is a product of the decisions we make and the action we take.
Duh.
Well then, why is it so hard to make good decisions and stick with them? It’s messy! We’re human.
Let me share something that’s guided my coaching for years. It comes from Dr. John C. Maxwell, and I’m part of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team in part because these words smacked me square in the face many years ago:
“Successful people make the right decisions early and manage those decisions daily. The earlier you make those right decisions and the longer you manage them, the more successful you will become. Neglect to make or manage those decisions, and you’ll look back on your life with regret.”
Let me tell you a quick story from my real estate sales days. Back in 2007, I was involved in a $1M+ real estate deal (that was a BIG number back then). My client was wavering on pricing her home at market. She was asking double what her home was worth. I shared this quote with her and I thought she was going to cry. She knew she needed to sell for life and financial reasons, and now it was about managing that big picture decision.
What about you? Have you made a positive and powerful life decision that is out of alignment with your actions?
Now, if you’re thinking, “I’m older—does this mean it’s too late to start?”—let me tell you what Dr. Maxwell said when I invited him to speak at an annual meeting for a company I led: “I’m 71 years old and I’m in the biggest growth spurt of my life.”
Think about that. Are you ever finished growing?
And if something feels off in your life right now, please know: There are choices to be made that will help change the direction. As Mel Robbins says, “You are one decision away from a completely different life.”
Don’t Wait Until January 1st
I see the delta every year. Some maintain or build tremendous momentum through the holidays. They stick with the plan and they are off and running in the new year.
Others are nursing hangovers January 1st and immediately behind on what they set out to do.
This is especially important if your business is non-instant-gratification. What you do now sets you up!
Here’s why this really matters—and why I use this principle and we ingrain these concepts in all my coaching:
The Power of Compounding Works For or Against You
- Pain of discipline vs. pain of regret
- Opportunity cost principle option A vs Option B
- Relationship investments compound
- Financial investments compound
Every single day, you’re either on the green line (slight edge up) or the red line (slight edge down). See Jeff Olson’s book the Slight Edge for more depth here. And the gap between them? That’s the decisions you make and the actions you take.
Start now, January 1 is amateur hour
I run group coaching sessions in the 4th quarter. Want to know what I discovered?
100% of the time, the average productivity of the group would crush those who didn’t engage. Was it some magic thing I was saying? No! They were showing up and doing the work while others were checking out or not properly planning the work/life harmony through the holidays.
Let me paint you a picture of two business owners:
Business Owner #1 coasted through December saying “I’ll start fresh in January.” They ended up playing catch-up all year, constantly behind on their goals, their health suffered, relationships were strained, and their bottom line reflected it.
Business Owner #2 stepped up their engagement during the holidays. They were strategic, intentional, and present. They finished the year strong. And guess what? Nothing will get them out of the gate faster for the following year. Their health improved, relationships deepened, and their business exploded.
The contrast wasn’t subtle. It was dramatic.
The Contrarian Strategy
Here’s what I want you to consider: What would it look like if you treated November like January 1st when it comes to making key changes?
What if you stepped up your level of engagement from now until year-end, while still doing holidays well?
This isn’t about working yourself to death. This is about being intentional with the time you have.
Your Finish Strong Playbook
Before we go further, grab your notebook (yes, actually grab it). I go heavy on tactics because that’s what creates real change. As you read through these strategies, put a star next to each thing that resonates. Then I want you to email me what those things are—and pick ONE to implement immediately.
Here are some ideas for specific actions for the next 90 days:
1. Get Real About Your CFOs and Allocate More Time There
What do you do that no one else can do? What are the key things that cannot and should not be delegated? That’s where your time needs to go. Everything else? Delegate, automate, or eliminate.
2. For Leaders: Invest More Time Connecting With Employees
A Thanksgiving pie personally delivered if possible. A handwritten note. Something extra to show you care. People in your network offer great products and services you can gift—collaborate on these things. The benefit? Retention and engagement that pays dividends all year long.
3. For Sales/Service Professionals: Step Up Efforts With Clients and Sphere
Intentional phone calls and texts to add value. Even 10% extra effort here could have disproportionate results. Your competitors are coasting. You’re building relationships.
4. Use Video
Send messages to people you care about—professional updates or personal holiday messages. Both individual and general messages. Video creates connection in a way text never will.
5. One Handwritten Note Per Day
Pick someone who’s made a difference in your life or business and write them a note. Not an email. Not a text. An actual note. Watch what happens.
6. Business Review: Honest Assessment
Where are you compared to last year’s plan? No sugar-coating. Just truth. What worked? What didn’t? What needs to change?
7. Calendar Audit
Where was time invested vs. wasted? Review your past calendar forensically. Where did you create value? Where did you leak time? Commit to focusing on the effective activities.
8. Block Your Vacation and Personal Time NOW
Treat your business-building time as if you had a corporate job. For some, this might mean more hours. For others, it’s about greater effectiveness in the hours you work. But either way: Block your vacation time now and commit to bringing your best on all working days.
9. The Plus One Mentality
This one is HUGE. Any time you’re wrapping up for the day, do just “one more.”
One more connection.
One more paragraph of content.
One more task.
One more call.
I had a client who adopted this mentality. This simple habit—literally adding one more thing before shutting down—transformed her business momentum. She went from feeling stuck to unstoppable.
10. Create a Shutdown Routine (Not Just a Morning Routine)
Everyone talks about morning routines. But what about how you END your day? This prevents burnout and sets you up for the next day.
I recommend dividing your day into four phases (shout out to Dr. Andrew Huberman’s research on circadian rhythms):
- Prepare (morning routine)
- Engage (peak productivity hours)
- Recover (intentional wind-down)
- Sleep (non-negotiable rest)
11. Be More Visible
Networking events. Social media. Podcasts. Guest speaking. The opportunities are there—especially in Q4 when many have checked out.
12. Plan for REAL (More on This in a Moment)
The Science Behind Why This Works
Let me share some research that will blow your mind. Dr. Daniel Amen, brain health expert, studied goal achievement. Here’s what he found:
- State your goal = 11% success rate
- Stated + Written = 47% success rate
- Stated + Written + Accountability = 76% success rate
Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University found similar results: People who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them.
But here’s what most people miss: Converting intentions into results requires systematic planning and consistent execution.
That’s where most New Year’s resolutions fail. People set goals. They don’t build systems.
Planning for REAL: The FORBES System
How many beautiful planners do you own that are filled with January goals that are… still sitting there in December?
Yeah. Me too (well, I used to).
Here’s the truth: A goal without a specific yet adaptable action plan is just a wish.
Your 2026 improvement depends on the systems you build NOW—not in January.
That’s why I created the FORBES Real Planning System. It’s not a hack. It’s not a reel. This is REAL planning that you’ll actually execute, even when it’s messy.
The FORBES Framework
F – Family goals
O – Occupation/career goals
R – Recreation/fun goals
B – Body/health goals
E – Education/personal growth goals
S – Spiritual goals
Why all six areas? Because I’ve worked with hundreds of clients over the years, and I can tell you this: When you only focus on your business and neglect the other areas, everything eventually falls apart.
I’ve been hired mainly for business consulting and coaching. But it almost always gets into life stuff too.
- One client in Atlanta—sales guy—ended up mending his relationship with his daughter and spending more time on fitness. His business exploded after he got those areas right.
- Another client, a marketing exec, I got him away from afternoon caffeine and up in the gym at 5:30 AM. His energy transformed, and so did his business.
You can’t separate them. Your life affects your business. Your business affects your life.
The 7-Step Real Planning Process
Before Turkey meals make us bloated and tired and Santa makes his way around the globe, I want you to think about these questions:
1. Conduct Your 2025 Time Audit
If you could change three things in your personal life that you KNOW would positively impact your health and relationships, what would those be? (Notice I said “change,” not “add”—some things need to be deleted or done less.)
If you could change three things in your professional life that you KNOW would positively impact your bottom line, what would those be?
2. Define (or Call to Mind) Your MVP
- Mission: Why do you do what you do?
- Vision: Where are you going?
- Principles: What guides your decisions?
This is your decision-making foundation.
3. Set SMART Goals in FORBES Areas
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. You know the drill. But are you actually doing it across ALL six areas?
4. Document Your “Why”
For each goal, write down your specific motivation. Not just “I want to make more money.” But WHY do you want to make more money? What will it enable you to do? Who will it help? What will change?
5. Brainstorm Action Plans
Break each goal into measurable steps. What’s the first action? What’s the second? Get specific.
6. Establish Implementation Timeline
Daily habits. Weekly reviews. Monthly milestones. Quarterly strategy reviews. Put them on the calendar.
7. Calendar Integration
Block time for key actions starting NOW. Not January. NOW.
The Point
This isn’t about perfect planning. It’s about REAL planning that you’ll actually execute, even when it’s messy.
And here’s something most people don’t talk about: There’s a Growth Paradox—you need to balance persistence with discomfort.
- Comfort Zone: Low discomfort, low growth. Routines become ruts. Stagnation occurs. Easy to persist but pointless.
- Growth Zone (OPTIMAL): Moderate discomfort. High growth potential. Routines remain fresh and challenging. Requires consistent persistence and courage. This is “productive discomfort.”
- Breaking Point: Excessive discomfort. Unintended consequences. Growth stops. Abandonment of routines. Burnout and frustration. Even high persistence fails.
Your goal? Stay in the Growth Zone. That’s where the magic happens.
Join Me for the FREE Finish Strong Preview Webinar
Here’s the thing: I can only scratch the surface in a blog post.
That’s why I’m hosting a FREE Finish Strong Preview Webinar on:
📅 November 3rd at 10:00 AM
In this live session, we’ll go deeper into:
- The FORBES Real Planning System
- How to conduct your Time Audit and identify your CFOs
- The exact framework I use with clients to create plans that actually stick
- My “Plus One” mentality in action
- Live Q&A where I’ll answer your specific questions
Plus, I’ll share a special offer for those who want to continue with our FINISH STRONG and Plan For REAL community (Max out at 20 ppl)—where we implement these principles together week by week.
This isn’t just another motivational talk. This is a tactical workshop that will help you finish 2025 strong and set up 2026 to be your best year ever.
Register for the FREE Finish Strong Webinar Here →
Your 30-Day Finish Strong Challenge
If you can’t wait until November 3rd to get started (and I hope you can’t), here’s your challenge:
- Week 1: Complete your FORBES goal setting and time audit
- Week 2: Implement your “Plus One” mentality daily
- Week 3: Calendar block your Q1 2026 key activities
- Week 4: Establish your weekly review system
The Three Finish Strong Commitments
Before we wrap up, I want you to commit to three things:
- Start NOW, Not January – Take action on your changes today
- Use the FORBES System – Plan for your whole life, not just your business
- Build Real Systems – Daily habits, weekly reviews, monthly milestones
Final Thought: The Tale of the Race
I want to leave you with something powerful. There’s a video I show in all my Finish Strong talks—it’s of a college runner named Heather Dorniden in the 600-meter race at the Big Ten Indoor Track Championship.
She’s leading. Then, with 200 meters to go, she falls. Hard. Dead last.
What happens next will give you chills.
She gets up and sprints. Not jogs. SPRINTS. She passes one runner. Then another. Then another. With 20 meters to go, she’s in third. With 10 meters, second. And at the finish line?
She wins.
That’s what finishing strong looks like.
It’s not about where you are right now. It’s about the decision you make in this moment about how you’re going to finish.
Here’s what I want you to remember: When you finish the year strong, nothing will get you out of the gate better next year. That’s a fact.
Let’s Do This Together
Six months from now, when you’re looking back at today, what will you be glad you decided to start right now?
Remember: A goal without a specific action plan is just a wish. Your 2026 success depends on the systems you build now.
While others are coasting, you’re building momentum. While others are checking out, you’re doubling down on what matters. While others are “waiting until January,” you’re already winning.
That’s The 20% Club.
Will you join me?