The great quarterly reset starts now!
The first quarter of 2025 is drawing to a close. If you’re like most Americans, those ambitious New Year’s resolutions you set in January might be gathering dust by now. According to research from the University of Scranton, nearly 80% of resolutions fail by February—a sobering statistic that might have you questioning whether to abandon your goals entirely.
But here’s the good news: March is the perfect time for a reset, not a surrender.
In our December article on “Best Daily Planner for 2025,” we highlighted how the right planning tool can transform your approach to productivity and intentional living. Now, as we close out Q1, it’s time to leverage another powerful planning strategy: the quarterly reset.
Why Traditional Resolutions Fail (And Why That’s Actually Normal)
Before diving into solutions, it’s important to understand why our well-intentioned January goals often fizzle by spring.
I discovered this firsthand back in 2023 when my own resolution to build a consistent meditation practice collapsed by Valentine’s Day. The irony wasn’t lost on me – failing at a habit meant to reduce stress became another source of stress!
According to Deborah Carr, a sociology professor at Boston University, “Just because you fell off the trail of your resolution pursuit doesn’t mean you can’t get back on. If you failed in January, it doesn’t mean you’re a failure.”
My conversations with business owners here in NYC reveal patterns that match what behavioral scientists have been telling us for years. Traditional resolution approaches fall short for reasons that might sound painfully familiar:
- Vague, overly ambitious goals – Who hasn’t written down something like “exercise more” or “grow my business” without specifying what success actually looks like? One local boutique owner told me she had “digital marketing goals” for January but couldn’t articulate exactly what they were by February.
- Lack of structured implementation plans – A Brooklyn-based graphic designer admitted she had perfectly defined her income goals for 2025 but had absolutely no roadmap for reaching them. As she put it, “I had the destination without the GPS.”
- Diminishing motivation over time – The coffee shop owner around the corner from my office described the January 1st version of himself as “basically a different person” compared to who he was by March. The initial excitement of a new year inevitably fades.
- All-or-nothing thinking – “I missed two workout days, so I guess the whole fitness plan is shot.” Sound familiar? This black-and-white approach is the silent killer of most resolutions.
This is where quarterly planning emerges as the science-backed solution to the resolution dilemma.
The Power of Quarterly Resets: Why Now Is the Perfect Time
Last week, I watched a small business owner in Queens toss her January goal sheet into the trash with a dramatic sigh. “What’s the point now?” she asked. “The year’s already underway.”
I couldn’t help but laugh – not at her frustration, which I deeply understood – but at the timing. She was unwittingly demonstrating exactly what makes right now the perfect moment to reset.
“The quarterly framework works because it creates a perfect balance between visionary thinking and tactical execution,” explains productivity expert Michael Hyatt. “Quarterly goals give you enough runway to make significant progress while keeping urgency high.”
Psychology research backs this up with surprising clarity. Dr. Hengchen Dai of UCLA’s Anderson School of Management describes what she calls the “fresh start effect”—our natural tendency to pursue goals with renewed motivation after temporal landmarks like the start of a new month, season, or quarter.
I’ve noticed this effect in my own business cycles since 2019. January goals often come with unrealistic expectations and holiday hangover, while quarterly planning in March/April hits a sweet spot of pragmatism and possibility.
This explains why now serves as an ideal reset point. You’re not starting from scratch; you’re leveraging a natural psychological reset point to reinvigorate your goals with three key advantages:
- You have data – Unlike January, you now have real information about what worked and what didn’t during your first attempts. A fitness studio owner I interviewed had discovered that her 6AM classes consistently underperformed, while her 5:30PM slots were waitlisted. This insight allowed her to adjust her Q2 strategy in ways that would have been impossible in January.
- Seasons are changing – The shift to spring brings longer days and, here in NYC at least, a palpable energy shift. The sidewalks are busier, outdoor seating is appearing at restaurants, and there’s a collective awakening that naturally aligns with new beginnings.
- You’ve cleared the 90-day threshold – Research shows that early adopters of new habits typically hit their biggest challenges around days 60-90, meaning you’ve weathered the hardest part. As one local bookshop owner told me, “Getting through winter with a new business initiative is like running uphill. Spring feels like finally reaching level ground.”
The Quarterly Planning Framework: Your Roadmap to Recovered Goals
A strategic quarterly reset involves more than simply recommitting to abandoned resolutions. Top productivity experts recommend a structured approach that bridges the gap between your annual goals and daily actions.
Here’s how to implement a quarterly planning system that gets results:
Step 1: Honest Assessment of Q1
The first step is taking stock of the past three months without judgment. John Doerr, venture capitalist and author of “Measure What Matters,” emphasizes that “Ideas are easy. Execution is everything.”
Action Step: Dedicate 30-60 minutes to reviewing your original 2025 goals. For each goal, note:
- Progress made (even small wins count)
- Obstacles encountered
- What worked/what didn’t
- Whether the goal still aligns with your priorities
Step 2: Strategic Prioritization Using the 1-3-5 Method
Tim Ferriss advocates for ruthless prioritization in goal setting: “Being busy is a form of laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.”
I bumped into this truth accidentally while juggling too many website projects last quarter. When everything’s a priority, nothing is. After a particularly frustrating week in February where I made microscopic progress on seven different initiatives, I completely overhauled my approach.
Here’s what worked for me, and what I’ve since recommended to the small business owners I consult with in Manhattan:
Action Step: Identify:
- ONE primary objective for Q2 (I chose expanding my newsletter subscription base)
- THREE key projects that support this objective (for me: redesigning the signup form, creating a lead magnet, and establishing a consistent publishing schedule)
- FIVE supporting habits or actions (including blocking off Tuesdays for writing and setting a “no screens after 9pm” rule to ensure I’m rested enough to create quality content)
This constraint feels oddly liberating. One café owner I interviewed for this piece described it as “finally being given permission to focus on what actually moves the needle.” The 1-3-5 method forces clarity and prevents the overwhelm that derails most resolutions.
Step 3: Create Monthly Milestones with S.M.A.R.T. Criteria
Dr. Edwin Locke’s research on goal setting revealed that specific, challenging goals lead to higher performance than vague, easy ones.
Action Step: Break your quarterly objective into three monthly milestones that are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Step 4: Implement Weekly Reviews
Productivity expert Brendon Burchard recommends a weekly “Power Hour”—a dedicated planning session that aligns upcoming actions with larger goals.
Action Step: Schedule a consistent 30-minute weekly planning session to review progress and plan your next week’s priorities.
Step 5: Drive Daily Execution with MIT Technique
Leo Babauta’s Most Important Tasks (MIT) approach focuses on completing the most impactful tasks first.
Action Step: Each day, identify 1-3 MITs that directly contribute to your weekly priorities. Complete these before addressing less important tasks.
The Essential Tool for Your Quarterly Reset: A Structured Planning System
Implementing this framework requires more than good intentions—it demands the right tool. As noted in numerous studies, including Dr. Caroline Webb’s research, our brains release dopamine not just when we achieve goals, but when we make measurable progress toward them.
A well-designed quarterly planner creates these crucial progress markers while providing the structure needed to maintain momentum.
I spent February testing different planning systems with five business owners across different industries. The unanimous favorite? The Quarterly Overview Planner from Ramona & Ruth. What separated it from competitors wasn’t just aesthetics (though the sturdy cover and thoughtful layout earned high praise), but the psychological framework built into its design:
- Annual Goals Outline – One freelance photographer mentioned this section helped her maintain perspective when client demands threatened to pull her off course
- Top 3 Quarterly Focuses – This section became the cornerstone of prioritization for a tech startup founder who had previously tried to tackle eight initiatives simultaneously
- Monthly Overview spreads – A retail shop owner credited this feature with helping her notice seasonal patterns she’d missed in previous years
- Weekly Overview pages – “Finally, a planner that acknowledges the week as the natural unit of work planning,” noted a consultant
- Daily Overview spreads – Several testers mentioned how the daily pages created the perfect balance between structure and flexibility
- Quarterly Review – This built-in reflection tool was cited as “the missing piece” in most planning systems
“Breaking down my goals into manageable, bite-sized pieces eliminated the feeling of overwhelm,” shares one planner user. “The Quarterly Review section helps me evaluate what’s working and what’s not as I go into the next quarter.”
Ready to reset your 2025 goals with a system that actually works? Get your Quarterly Overview Planner here and join the growing community of professionals who are transforming their Q2 results. With multiple color options available and the option to add a protective cover, you can customize your planning experience to match your style while creating the structure needed for real progress.
5 Expert Strategies to Make Your Quarterly Reset Stick
Beyond the planning framework and tools, certain evidence-based strategies can dramatically increase your chances of success:
1) Create Environmental Triggers
According to Wendy Wood, professor emerita of psychology at USC, “Forming new habits is easiest when you’re in a new environment because you haven’t settled into a routine yet.”
Try This: Designate a specific planning space in your home or office with your quarterly planner prominently displayed.
2) Find an Accountability Partner
A 2018 study found that people with accountability partners lost more weight and reduced their BMIs more than those without support.
Try This: Share your quarterly goals with someone who will check in on your progress regularly. Better yet, find someone with complementary goals and schedule weekly check-ins.
3) Make It Enjoyable
Ayelet Fishbach’s research found that immediate rewards like enjoying a process were more strongly associated with goal persistence than focusing solely on future outcomes.
Try This: Incorporate elements you enjoy into your planning routine—perhaps a special coffee or tea, background music, or a pleasant location.
4) Track Progress Visually
A 2015 review involving nearly 20,000 participants found that tracking progress increased the likelihood of succeeding at personal goals.
Try This: Create a visual progress tracker in your planner that gives you the satisfaction of seeing advancement.
5) Schedule Regular Reflection
Peter Drucker emphasized that “follow-through and follow-up” are essential for effective execution.
Try This: Block 15 minutes at the end of each month to review progress and adjust your approach as needed.
Your Quarter 2 Success Plan: Starting Now
Despite being three months into 2025, you still have 75% of the year ahead—more than enough time to achieve meaningful progress on your most important goals.
The quarterly planning approach offers the perfect bridge between ambitious annual goals and the practical reality of daily execution. By implementing this framework now, you create a strategic reset point that leverages both the science of habit formation and the practical wisdom of productivity experts.
During a recent mastermind meetup at a crowded WeWork in Midtown, I watched twenty entrepreneurs groan collectively when asked about their January resolutions. But those same faces lit up discussing what they might still accomplish by summer. There’s something psychologically refreshing about drawing a line under Q1 and starting with a clean slate—while still having the wisdom gained from those first three months.
As James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits,” teaches, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
I’ve got that quote scrawled on a Post-it note above my desk, right next to my quarterly planner. Because the truth is both humbling and empowering: no amount of motivation or wishful thinking will outperform a well-designed system.
The quarterly planning system—supported by the right tools like Ramona & Ruth’s Quarterly Overview Planner—provides exactly that: a sustainable system for turning aspirations into achievements, one quarter at a time.
On a personal note, I’ve found that the physical act of writing in a beautifully designed planner creates a commitment that digital tools simply can’t match. There’s something about the tactile experience that makes my brain take these goals more seriously than the ones that live in my phone.
Ready to transform your approach to goal achievement in 2025? Despite Q1 being behind us, your best quarter yet might be the one that’s just beginning. After all, it’s not how you start the race—it’s how you finish it.
What goal achievement strategies have worked best for you? Share your experiences in the comments below!
