Sadly, summer is over. Put those Hawaiian shirts back in the drawers, and focus up as we begin the mad dash to the end of the year. Learn how to set yourself up for a big finish, as Q4 looms just weeks away.

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Hi, this is Stephanie Maas, and today I've come to you with kind of a meh, but exciting message at the same time.

The meh part?

Summer is over.

Labor Day has come and gone.

I don't know for the most of you, for me, I actually told my kids this a couple of weeks ago.

I think I'm This has been the absolute best summer of my adult life.

We just did some really cool things as a family work was fantastic.

And at the same time, we figured out how to chill, just have a great summer, but now it's time to get to work.

Not that it didn't work all summer.

But Labor Day is behind us.

It's hustle time.

For most of us, we've got about three, maybe three and a half months left.

Whatever you were hoping for, wherever you're at, no matter how far ahead you are, there's an adage that says, no matter how you start, it's how you finish that'll matter.

So if you want to feel good, regardless of the outcome, if you want to feel good, now's the time to hunker down.

It's always a great time to talk about having a strong finish.

Let's face it.

The most exciting time to watch any live event is at the end.

I mean, don't get me wrong.

I like a good first quarter, but if you can give me a nail biter that comes down to the wire in a fourth quarter, I'm on the edge of my seat.

The same applies for life when it comes to work.

This time of the year, most folks are thinking, Hey, we've got to think about really finishing strong.

And we absolutely do.

Strong finishes lead to our bonuses.

They lead to how we feel going into the holidays when we actually get a break and get to spend time with our family and friends.

But sometimes what we don't think about is how that can really lead to a strong start.

In fact, some of my favorite conversations this time of the year is when people tell me, Hey, I've already blown my goal out of the water.

However, my focus right now is actually pushing some things off.

To next year.

That's an exciting reason to keep your head in the game, regardless of what kind of year you've had.

And I certainly hope it's been a great year, but when you start thinking about, Hey, what I'm doing today is really setting me up for tomorrow.

That's a great headspace.

As we think about winding down the year, I don't know about you, but.

But my years always get off to a better start when I can come into the year refreshed, renewed, excited about what has been and what's to come.

So remember, a good finish is a good finish, but it's also a good start.

A good start.

Recently I was talking with one of my managers and his suggestion was to apply this in all things we do, not just the big things.

So for example, on a day to day basis, finish strong your day.

Maybe it didn't go the way you wanted, but do something positive at the end of your day to make sure you at least feel good about that part of your day.

Same thing about your week.

I have a couple things checklist wise that if I can get them done by Friday at 5, even if I got nothing else done the rest of the week, I can feel good because I at least got those things.

Same thing on a quarterly basis.

So while the bad news is summer is pretty much over, although for most of us down here in the South, we've got plenty of warm days left, but technically summer is over.

It's time to get to work and make the most out of what's left.