Use October to Pivot and Stretch to Finish Strong in the Fourth Quarter
October 2025
How to Harvest
October is such an exciting and productive month. We associate October with harvests, abundance and plentitude. There are so many tasks to accomplish and these tasks are to be accompanied by the positive emotions of savoring and gratitude. Fully celebrating October requires the ability to pivot and stretch in a number of different directions. For instance, October is a time to savor and express gratitude for a harvest. However, it is also a time in which we must prepare for the 4th quarter and winter. Those of us from a farm background know that we must stock up for the winter. You want plenty of hay in the loft, lots of grain in the silo, and a full freezer of meat.
What does October mean to you?
October is a time to enjoy the present and prepare for the future. This is an easy time to practice savoring and gratitude, two key emotions that are correlated with life satisfaction and wellbeing. View your surroundings with fresh eyes and make note of everything you can appreciate. I have to admit that I’m practically giddy looking at Fall colored leaves, pumpkins, gourds, mums and candy corn. I loved decorating my barndominium, vacation rental and barn for Fall. Amplify your enjoyment of October by sharing Fall with others. Invite friends and family over for spiced coffee, a pumpkin dessert or squash soup. While you are savoring say a prayer of thanksgiving.
What do you appreciate in October?
You must toggle back and forth between savoring and storing up for the future. We only have 3 months left in 2025! In keeping with the BNI (Business Networking International) theme of Beyond, I am offering my business planning class “Finish Strong in the Fourth Quarter”. It’s crucial to focus on revenue and planning because October has many distractions. There are Fall Festivals, family reunions, weddings and sporting events. After a busy October, we will have Thanksgiving and Christmas. Identify all the action steps that you must take to have the income you need for 2025. To make this final push I suggest using rewards. Rewards aren’t just for children. We need them too. For example, make deals with yourself. If I spend 2 hours making phone calls (or whatever you need to do) I will let myself watch a horse video for 15 minutes or have a cup of coffee on the patio and savor Fall. You can have bigger rewards for a larger accomplishment. Celebrate creating a month of post content or completing you monthly reports with a special Fall outing.
How will you reward yourself?
October is a time to prepare for the winter both metaphorically and figuratively. It’s too easy to put these tasks off. Make a list of winterizing tasks that will be more fun to do on a sunny October day than during a blizzard in January. Prepared with a list, you won’t run out of propane. Nothing spells security like a barn full of freshly baled hay. If you don’t own a farm or a business it may serve you well to think of some activities and events to look forward to on a cold, rainy or snowy day. Get a jump on Seasonal Affective Disorder before it strikes!
What should you do to prepare for winter?
The scientific study of the psychology of procrastination has shown that people do not show adequate concern for their “future self”. Most of us are more concerned with planning our next vacation than we are with planning for retirement. My BNI colleague Paul Morrison is the antidote for procrastination. Paul is a financial advisor for Edward Jones (417-581-9330). Paul knew about saving up for a rainy day long before he joined Edward Jones. Paul grew up on a farm in Gainesville, Missouri, a place where you go hungry if you didn’t put enough of your harvest away to get you through the winter. Paul’s hometown values of frugality, stewardship, wisdom and compassion have translated into his skill in guiding his clients into abundant retirements and funding their children for bright futures. Paul will help you ensure that your children will have a proper education and that you will invest in your “future self”.
How can you care for your future self?
Visit my country retreat, Sabbath Sojourn. Seeing all the surrounding fields full of crops and bales of hay will help you plan to finish strong in your 4th quarter. Our Fall décor will trigger savoring and gratitude.
Originally posted by Coaching for Success via Locable