We just kicked off September. And as you look back, this year may not look like the one you planned. You still want to finish strong and salvage what you can if you got off track. But with just a few months left in the year, you don’t need a flurry of activity, you need focus. And you need to get it done in the next 90 days.

Here’s how you get there.

• Get honest about what still matters.
• Choose the few moves that count.
• Install a simple rhythm so progress sticks.

Start with an honest reset.

Pull your goals back out. Which can still drive growth or can be easily salvaged in the time you have left.

Others may no longer fit. Keep what matters, adjust what you can, and cut the rest. This is not failure. It is leadership. If you want to finish the year strong, you must choose focus over noise so your team knows where to aim.

Choose the few moves that will move the needle.

Once you clear the clutter, look at your options with fresh eyes. What will create real progress in the next month? What will reduce risk? How much can your team actually handle? Weigh effort, impact, and cost, then pick the top few. Stop there. Spreading your attention across many projects looks busy and feels productive, but it's not. Concentration wins.

Turn strategy into a 13-week plan.

Translate those choices into action. Clearly define the project and set key milestones to ensure you are on track. Name an owner so accountability is clear.

In the first two weeks, conduct a quick assessment to determine the most effective approach for moving the project forward. Know what can really move the needle in the right direction.

During weeks three through six, focus on the deep work necessary to bring the project to completion on time. Know your milestones and work relentlessly to hit them.

Weeks seven through ten, take a status check, ask “are we on track,” and “are early indications positive.” Identify what’s getting in the way and remove it, so your team can thrive.

In the last three weeks, finalize the details and prepare to bring your project to a close.

Simple. Visible. Doable.

Install the cadence that keeps it moving.

Plans do not run themselves. Establish a regular meeting rhythm to keep the project moving. These are quick hit progress meetings; resist the temptation to draw them out. Start each day with a short focus check-in. Meet weekly to review the scorecard, decide, and clear blockers. Reset monthly against the 90-day targets. Keep meetings tight. Capture decisions and owners in the same place, every time. When the rhythm is steady, the work moves.

If you do nothing

You will stay busy and wonder where the month went. Priorities will blur. Results will drift.

If you focus for 90 days

You will create momentum. Your team will know the goal and their role. You will finish the year strong and start the next one faster.

Your next step

You can do this yourself, but it’s not always easy to step far enough outside the challenges and opportunities to build an effective and objective plan truly. If you need help thinking this through, schedule a call with me to think through it.