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Quarterly Planning

Realignment Without Overreaction

Purpose

The Quarterly Planning Ritual exists to realign the system without destabilizing it.

It answers:

Are my current goals, outcomes, and execution still aligned with reality and direction?

This ritual is not a reset. It is a course correction.

When to Run This Ritual

  • Once per quarter (calendar-based, not mood-based)
  • After major life changes
  • When multiple goals feel heavy or stale

Do not run this ritual reactively.

Pre-Work (Optional, 15 minutes)

Before the session:

  • Review the last quarterly review notes
  • Skim outcome KPIs
  • Note any recurring friction

Do not make decisions yet.

flowchart LR
    subgraph process ["QUARTERLY PLANNING STEPS"]
        S1["1. Revisit<br/>direction"]
        S2["2. Review<br/>goals"]
        S3["3. Audit<br/>outcomes"]
        S4["4. Capacity<br/>check"]
        S5["5. Select<br/>focus"]
        S6["6. Translate to<br/>execution"]
        S7["7. Record<br/>decisions"]
    end

    S1 --> S2 --> S3 --> S4 --> S5 --> S6 --> S7

    style S1 fill:#7c4dff,stroke:#5e35b1,color:#fff
    style S2 fill:#536dfe,stroke:#3d5afe,color:#fff
    style S3 fill:#448aff,stroke:#2979ff,color:#fff
    style S4 fill:#00bcd4,stroke:#00acc1,color:#fff
    style S5 fill:#ffc107,stroke:#ffb300,color:#000
    style S6 fill:#66bb6a,stroke:#43a047,color:#fff
    style S7 fill:#ab47bc,stroke:#8e24aa,color:#fff
    style process fill:#fafafa,stroke:#bdbdbd

Step 1 — Revisit Direction (Light Touch)

Re-read: Direction narrative, life themes, current season.

Ask:

  • Has anything materially changed?
  • Am I in the same season as last quarter?

This is a validation step, not a redesign.

Step 2 — Review Goals (High Altitude)

For each active goal, ask:

  • Does this still serve my direction?
  • Is this goal still worth its cost?
  • If I were starting today, would I choose this goal again?

Possible outcomes: Keep as-is, adjust scope, pause, or retire.

Do not add new goals yet.

Step 3 — Audit Outcomes

For each outcome:

  • Is it still relevant?
  • Is the deadline realistic?
  • Is progress visible?
  • Is scope appropriate?

Adjust: deadlines, outcome definition, KPIs.

Delete outcomes that no longer matter.

Step 4 — Capacity Reality Check

Look at: calendar density, energy patterns, external commitments.

Ask:

  • Is my system respecting capacity?
  • Where am I consistently overcommitting?

Reduce scope before increasing effort.

Step 5 — Select Quarterly Focus

Choose:

  • One primary focus
  • One secondary focus (optional)

Everything else becomes maintenance. This protects depth.

Step 6 — Translate to Execution

Only now:

  • Adjust work unit creation
  • Re-sequence priorities
  • Update the two-week commitment window

Do not over-plan.

Step 7 — Record Decisions

Write a short quarterly note:

  • What changed
  • Why it changed
  • What stays the same

This feeds long-term learning.

What This Ritual Prevents

  • Overreacting to bad weeks
  • Quarterly goal explosions
  • Accumulated misalignment
  • Quiet burnout

Closing

Quarterly planning is about staying honest, not ambitious.

Small corrections, applied consistently, beat dramatic resets.