After excluding U.S. federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year’s, we have roughly 100 days left in the year (specifically 102 by our count) or 72 working weekdays if you’re only counting Monday–Friday as of publish date. That’s a meaningful runway — short enough to focus, long enough to finish well.
Here’s the mindset shift that changes everything: start from where you are now, not where you thought you’d be last January. The gap between expectation and reality burns time and energy. We close that gap by choosing a finish line we can actually cross.
Step 1: Name the Win
Pick one outcome that would make you exhale on December 23:
- Revenue: “Close $X in new/renewal revenue.”
- Retention: “Increase client LTV by Y% using our follow-up rhythm.”
- Audience: “Add Z qualified subscribers with a clear nurture path.”
The key is singular focus. You can do many tasks, but you finish one result.
Step 2: Make It Measurable
How will you know it’s done? Put a number and a proof on it: “$25,000 collected,” “50 warm consults booked,” “200 net-new qualified subscribers who received a 4-email nurture.” If a stranger couldn’t verify it, it isn’t measurable.
Step 3: Break It Into Weekly Shipments
Work backward from Dec 23 and decide what ships each Friday. A “shipment” is a tangible deliverable that moves the metric. For example:
- Offer finalized + checkout live
- 3 case studies published
- 2 partner emails sent
- 10 warm follow-ups completed and logged
Friday marketing/shipments keep your week honest and your momentum visible.
Step 4: Protect the Time (Two 90-min sessions)
Block two 90-minute focus sessions per week. These are non-negotiable. Put them on your calendar as if they were paid client sessions. If life happens, reschedule within the same week — don’t skip.
Step 5: Fix One Trust Leak™ Per Week
A Trust Leak is anything that quietly erodes confidence: slow follow-up, unclear offer, outdated page, no social proof, messy onboarding, broken links. Choose one leak per week and close it. Twelve weeks = twelve fewer reasons for potential buyers to hesitate.
Step 6: Publish Credibility Daily (Micro, Not Massive)
Post one small proof-point each weekday (email, blog, podcast, social media, YouTube®, etc.):
- A before/after snapshot
- A 60-second tip
- A client win (with permission)
- A screen grab of your checklist in action
These compounding touchpoints build authority without burnout.
Step 7: Track With a Simple Scorecard
Use one page, five rows:
- Mon 90-min completed (Y/N)
- Wed 90-min completed (Y/N)
- Friday marketing/shipment completed (Y/N)
- Key metric movement (number)
- Trust Leak fixed (what)
Scorecards reduce drama. You’re either moving the needle or you’re not — and you’ll know by Friday.
Guardrails to Stay Sane
- Do less, deeper. If everything is important, nothing is.
- Automate follow-up. Templates + calendar links + reminders.
- Batch outreach. 20-minute sprints, timer on, phone away.
- Celebrate micro-wins. Momentum loves acknowledgement.
Your 10-Minute Start
- Write your one result.
- Block your two 90-minute sessions.
- Decide what ships this Friday.
Then begin. No perfect plan required — just the next right action.Bottom line: The year doesn’t need a rescue mission. It needs a finish plan. Choose the win, protect the time, show-up/deliver weekly, and close the trust leaks. December you will be very proud of September you. 🙂