10 Smart Ways to Close Out the Year

These final weeks of the year are the time to step back and look at your business without the usual pressure. Review what you built, evaluate the work that paid off and adjust the parts that kept you stuck. That way, you’ll kick off 2026 with direction instead of more guesswork.

Here are 10 grounded ways to close out the year with purpose:

• Look at what you planned and what got done. Measure the gap so you know what needs attention.

• Revisit your income goals. Set a target that matches the effort you can maintain.

• Identify the lead sources that produced real business. Keep the ones that worked and let the others go.

• Study how you used your time. Match your weekly habits to the results you want next year.

• Check your systems. Tighten the tools you rely on to track money, manage communication and stay organized.

• Identify and fix workflow bottlenecks. Fix the places where projects stalled or never gained traction.

• Break next year’s goals into steps. Clear action beats vague intention every time.

• Pick one priority for the first quarter of 2026. Focus makes it easier to build early momentum.

• Preserve time for revenue-producing work. Guard the hours that move your business forward.

• Leave room to adjust. Plans shift as you learn more about your market and your own capacity.

Taking this brief “look back” will give you a clear picture of how your business performed in 2025 and what needs to be adjusted for the year ahead.

Happy Holidays!

This is a small slice of what I outline in Blueprints Beat Cocktail Napkins and Your First Business Blueprint. If you’re ready for the complete approach, you can preview the books on Amazon.