How to Set Quarterly Goals

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how to set quarterly goals

Now is the perfect time to start thinking about what your goals will be for the rest of the year. I’ve found that I do much better with setting quarterly goals, rather than making yearly resolutions. The key is to figure out how you want to categorize your goals.

Set Quarterly Goals The Right Way

I’ve talked about making goals previously on the blog, so getting down to creating quarterly ones for myself is so important to me.

Just a note: this is how I set quarterly goals, so feel free to use the guide for yourself or at least feel inspired to go your own route and make your own.

Step 1: List your accomplished goals

How can you make new goals without seeing which ones have been accomplished? By taking accountability of what goals have come to fruition and which ones you still need to work on, you can easily make your goal list for the next quarter.

Write it down in a list, or make a video where you tell your favorite accomplished goals during the last quarter.

By getting them out in the open, you’ll also be able to see which goals you’d like to build upon and which one aren’t worth the extra energy in the upcoming months.

Step 2: Create categories

This is where your personal preference will come into play. When picking categories for your goals, try to keep them down to 4 or 5. I’ve selected 4 categories: work, home, voluteering and me. Yes, I have a me category!

One of my biggest mistakes is leaving myself off of my list of priorities and goals. I’m changing that this year. Also, I like to keep my categories a bit generalized (hence the “home” instead of “family” category) so I can place a few different goals in each one.  

For example, within my work category, I have goals for this here blog, as well as goals for my military career.

Step 3: Set those quarterly goals in stone

We as a society tend to love creating to-do lists, and then adding more “to-dos” to it as we complete a task. For your quarterly goals, don’t do that. Once you accomplish a goal, you’ll have the duty of maintaining that accomplishment.

Adding on yet another goal mid-quarter will only stress you out. Also, by accomplishing a goal, some of that energy can be transferred to another goal on the list.

Step 4: Get visual

Set quarterly goals by writing them down in a journal, notebook, or get really crafty and create a big poster board with all goals categorized and in lots of bright colors. Cross them off of the list as you accomplish each one.

By visually seeing all goals and crossing them off as they are attained, you’ll be able to create more motivation as the weeks go along, and your momentum will be less likely to falter. When I put goals on my poster board, I use colorful post it notes for each goal.

Then, once they are accomplished, I take the note down. For me, It helps to see the goals “disappearing” as I accomplish them. Since I am an uber-visual learner, I not only place my goals on a poster board, but I’ve recently announced them in a video.

What are some of your quarterly goals for the next 3 months? Have you written them down?

About Amiyrah

My name is Amiyrah and I'm an an African American fashion & lifestyle blogger based in Ohio.

Plan Your Year Now!

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18 Comments

  1. 6.19.13

    Sounds like you’ve got some great goals! I need to work on mine too.

  2. 6.19.13

    Goals are critical to success. Everyday I sit down with my list and write down my daily to dos, weekly to dos, my PUSH goal and how I can get there.

  3. 6.19.13

    Love setting goals! It really helps me stay on track and of course when I meet the goals I feel a sense of accomplishment!!

  4. 6.19.13
    Susan said:

    Setting goals is so very important, I have to get a list for myself!

  5. 6.19.13
    Kari said:

    These are excellent tips! I’m so bad about setting goals and writing them down. Over the next three months, I really want to make some decisions about the future of my blog, get my house more organized, and read several books that I have had forever.

  6. 6.19.13
    Jen @ Healthful Saver said:

    We set two financial goals: increase cash savings by 30% by end of December and try to fund both of our Roth IRAs up to the maximum. We track progress each week so we can stay focused. I can’t live without a written budget!

  7. 6.20.13
    Jasmine said:

    Set goals… like a boss.

  8. 6.23.13

    These are some really great ideas!! This is something that I need to start doing for sure!

  9. 6.23.13
    Caroll said:

    Great post Amiyrah! I especially love Step 2. Step 3 reminds me of what I decided to do this year. Instead of resolutions, this year I decided to make daily accomplishments. The number one thing on the list each and every day was to remember to be grateful and find 5 things you are grateful for. Some days it is hard to immediately think of them, but that’s the good thing. The exercise of trying to find five grateful moments refocuses me and gives me energy for the next day. Now, it is second nature and I am doing what I want to do which is living life in a grateful mode. Thanks for a great article and the continued inspiration.

  10. 6.27.13
    Crissy said:

    I love this. I am SO bad about goal setting and action planning, but, I know I could be more successful if I did it.

  11. 6.27.13

    I need to set goals in my life, it’s hard to be successful without them. Love your post!

  12. 6.27.13

    Those are great tips! I’m always so great at making goals at the beginning of the quarter, but not creating new ones once the old ones are finished. I need to get working on this.

  13. 6.27.13

    You are awesome. My husband always bugs me about setting goals and keeping them…and, well, I always put it off! I need to do better.

  14. 6.27.13

    Great tips. But more importantly, I see you are going to Blogher 13!!! Yay! Me too. Maybe we will run into each other. I do have goals – lots of them but I tend to sort of keep them in my head. Maybe I should write them down and categorize as you said. Good idea.

  15. 7.2.13

    I like that you have a visual board of your goals. I currently do out weekly goals and either continue them or add to it. I know that my weekly goals can get better if I had a yearly goal, broken down into quarterly goal. I also think that is smart to not add anything to the goal list, because I’ve been doing that and have felt overwhelmed and end up not doing anything! SMART! I need to work on redecorating my bedroom. I hope to only be there another year and a half but that is no reason to not like living in it now. I have started moving things around to let go of items I do not use or no longer need… its been a process!

    I wonder do you share this goal setting process with your family, like with your kids and/or your husband. You mention you guys are saving up for a house. Do you have a vision board for that goal to keep the two of you focused on saving?

    • 7.2.13
      Amiyrah said:

      Thanks Arelis!

      We don’t have a physical vision board, but I do have a “for the home” pinterest board I add to in order to keep my eye on the prize. For my husband, his “vision board” is seeing that his family is running out of space in this apartment so he works harder to get us out of here lol. Glad you enjoyed the post!

  16. 1.11.14
    Brandi said:

    I just started doing quarterly goals. I was sitting down to do my yearly goals and found that I was overwhelmed. It helps to break it down a bit, and I do feel less stressed than normal. Instead of trying to eat the whole hog at one time, I have a little bite!

    • 1.13.14
      Amiyrah said:

      Yes! Things just seem more attainable if they are broken down into monthly and quarterly goals. I hope you accomplish all of your goals this year, Brandi!