The 90-Day Reset: How to Reboot Your Career for Q1
A new year won’t fix a foggy plan. A 90-day reset will.
When Beth and I started working together, she was honest: burned out, unsure, and running on empty.
She’d lost confidence, and her strengths, the same ones that had powered her success, felt distant.
What she needed wasn’t motivation. She needed a system that helped her think clearly, act intentionally, and regain momentum.
We built it. She ran it. Here’s the playbook.
Beth’s Starting Point
Beth was a high-performing operator who had hit a plateau. The combination of burnout, overextension, and lack of alignment left her questioning her next move.
We used six sessions to rebuild her clarity and confidence, reframe her narrative, and map a practical plan for forward motion.
By the end of the program, she wasn’t just exploring what’s next, she was actively shaping it.
What Happened Next
Within months, Beth was being recruited for multiple opportunities, including a role at a major retail media company and another with an emerging startup.
Both were tempting, but this time, she evaluated them through a new lens: alignment, compensation, scope, energy, and long-term fit.
Instead of chasing a change for the sake of movement, she paused to assess:
Does this opportunity align with my strengths?
Will it energize me or drain me?
Does it represent progress or distraction?
In the end, she declined both offers, and started conversations about carving out a new, strategically aligned role inside her current company.
That’s the power of a reset. Intentional, not reactive.
The 90-Day Reset Framework
Month 1: Recalibrate
Goal: Restore clarity and confidence so every action has purpose.
Strengths Replay
Identify three career moments where you delivered real impact.
Look for the patterns: your best work conditions, audience, and skills.
Translate them into clear business outcomes.
Energy & Values Audit
Review your week. Label what energizes, drains, and sustains you.
Drop two drains. Protect two energizers.
Name two non-negotiables for how you want work to feel.
Six-Month Success Statement
Define what success looks like in the next six months, not forever, just next.
Burnout Basics
Build structure around recovery, not guilt.
Set a single daily boundary and stick to it.
Add two 30-minute “reset blocks” to your calendar weekly.
Beth’s outcome by Day 30:
Clear articulation of her value.
A believable plan for what success looked like next.
Renewed confidence rooted in clarity, not noise.
Month 2: Rebuild
Goal: Make progress visible, to yourself and others.
Update the Narrative
Rebuild your LinkedIn and resume around direction, not history.
Position yourself with a “future-facing” headline and About section.
Visibility Loop
Share small wins and insights weekly.
Engage in two-five meaningful industry conversations per week.
Publish one thoughtful post every two weeks.
Targeted Conversations
Identify 10–12 people who’ve seen you at your best.
Reconnect with curiosity.
Weekly Win Log
Capture one meaningful outcome each week.
Track who benefited and what it signals about your value.
Beth’s outcome by Day 60:
A renewed online and professional presence.
Active visibility with key internal and external stakeholders.
Confidence coming back because she could see traction.
Month 3: Re-Engage
Goal: Convert clarity and visibility into strategic opportunities.
Align to Business Impact
Choose one problem at the intersection of your strengths and team goals.
Draft a one-page proposal: the problem, your approach, first steps, and success metric.
Stretch with Intention
Pitch a project, volunteer for a cross-functional initiative, or propose a new role that fits your edge.
Quarterly Cadence
Review what worked, what drained you, and what to double down on.
Set two Q2 KPIs that tie directly to measurable outcomes.
Beth’s outcome by Day 90:
A clear professional direction.
Renewed influence and credibility.
A role evolving around her strengths instead of against them.
Why Beth’s Reset Worked
She stopped outsourcing confidence to titles or validation.
She made alignment a decision filter, not an afterthought.
She built momentum she could sustain, not momentum she’d have to recover from.
Run Your Own Reset
Here’s the structure you can copy:
Six-Month Success Statement
“In six months I’ll be doing [type of work] that drives [business outcome] for [who]. My environment values [two norms]. I’ll know I’m on track when [two metrics].”
One-Page Proposal
The problem (with a measurable impact).
Three key actions.
A two-week pilot plan.
What success unlocks.
Outreach Note
“Hi [Name], I’m exploring roles where [X] and [Y] matter. Given your work in [area], can I ask two quick questions about how your team defines success here and what skills stand out?”
Weekly Operating Rhythm
Monday 30: priorities, two non-negotiables, recovery blocks.
Daily 10: visibility loop comments.
Wednesday 20: targeted outreach.
Friday 20: win log, calendar cleanup, one message of appreciation.
Your Move for Q1
If you’re heading into the new year unsure where to focus, start here.
Structure beats inspiration. Every time.
If you’re ready to rebuild your momentum and clarity heading into the new year, this is where to start.
The Stand Out Advantage™ is my complete career acceleration system designed for high achievers who want to get unstuck, re-align, and move forward with confidence.
Enrollment is open now.
👉 Join the Stand Out Advantage™
