Did you know ThinkingAhead has a podcast for executive search professionals? Tune into The Talent Trade every Thursday for bite-sized, practical-packed chats with Stephanie Maas, a top-tier recruiter with over 20 years of experience in the industry. For a taste, here is an excerpt from the most recent episode:

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Hi, this is Stephanie Maas, and today I’ve come to you with 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 most of you, but for me (I told my kids this a couple of weeks ago), I think 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 and just have a great summer. But now it’s time to get to work. Not that I didn’t work all summer. It’s hustle time. 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, 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.  

Strong finishes lead to our bonuses. They lead to how we feel going into the holidays. 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 are when people tell me they’ve already blown their 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. When you start thinking about what you are doing today that is setting you up for tomorrow, that’s a great headspace.  

As we think about winding down the year, I don’t know about you, but my years always get off to a better start when I can come in refreshed, renewed, and 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.

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. 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 of 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, it’s time to get to work and make the most of what’s left. 

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You can find The Talent Trade anywhere you listen to podcasts.