Is it just me or is it always a tad staggering when we arrive at October - that last leg of the year?

Like clockwork, we’re here at the final three months of the year and I’m somehow astounded (again). Like Dr. Suess, I wonder, “How did it become so late so soon?” Where did the year go? I guess time is funny that way.

Often, round about now, people may feel a little disappointed that they haven’t made more progress towards their goals for the year. If you’re in that camp, you may be wondering whether you can really accomplish much in the closing months. But I have good news for you - and for anyone who’s pursuing goals. There’s a little gift you get as we near the close of the year that you can leverage to your advantage.

You see, there’s this interesting phenomenon that happens when you near the finish line of something. You naturally accelerate. You get a pep in your step. A boost. A bump. A bonus.

When you near that goal line, you unconsciously pick up the pace. Let’s say you’re running a race. You’re in for the long haul. At some point, you’re getting tired. You’re energy is sagging. Your effort may sink a bit. You may question if you can finish. You may even want to give up. But you hold on. And then…. you see the finish line. And what do you do? You accelerate. You speed up. You make the mad dash. You, who just minutes ago, didn’t think you had any more in the tank. Surprise, surprise! You had it all along. And now, it’s taking you to your goal.

This energy boost as you approach the finish line isn’t a fluke. Rather, it’s something that has a very fancy name: the Goal Gradient Effect. Apparently, as we near an end point, we’re wired to pick up the pace.

This is very good news as we stare down the close of another year. If you’ve been lamenting that you wished you had made more progress, then these final three months of the year can be your secret weapon.

Instead of daydreaming about all the things you’re going to do next year, fix your focus on finishing strong, getting to the finish line, the goal line, this year. Tap into your natural acceleration. Surprise yourself.

This Goal Gradient Effect can be leveraged to boost performance in many ways. For example, each day, imagine your finish line. What accomplishment do you want to place on today’s finish line? Put it in your mind’s eye.

I often talk about using different "focal lengths” when it comes to goal achievement. When you’re setting goals, fo example, use a focal length - a timeframe - that is further out, like a year. A year away allows you to think big - which is important to goal setting. Surprisingly, big goals get accomplished - much more than modest ones. So when the focal length is far away, you can suspend reality a bit and go for gold, for the dream.

However, to make tangible progress on those goals, and leverage the accelerating effect of a visible finish line, it’s important to bring in the focal length, to make it closer. Establish those milestones, mini finish lines on your way to your way to your big goals.

This is similar to a sighting technique that runners use. You pick a spot ahead, another runner, a landmark in the distance, and run to that. It keeps you in a race, especially a long one. The power of this technique draws from this Goal Gradient Effect.

Sighting has also been used as a survival technique to successfully navigate extreme situations in the wilderness. There’s a boost when you create a finish line that you can see. When there’s a winnable game.

When there’s no end in sight, it’s easy to give up. When you’re finish line is near, you find you have more power than you thought.

So, as we enter the last leg of this year-long marathon, what are your goals? Dust them off. Reset them and put them on the line. See them sitting there on December 31. Three months, and you’re there. Use the productive power of the finish line and watch as you naturally accelerate toward your goals.