When the novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote that “there are no second acts in American lives,” he was obviously incorrect and ignorant to the fact that human beings have an enormous capacity for overcoming adversity both personal and professional, with intelligence, patience, and panache.

As you are confronted with the reality that the first quarter of the year is history, now is the perfect time to reflect on your YTD performance.

How many of your goals have you accomplished so far this year?

Are you on track for having the best year of your life…or are you under-performing?

If you continue doing exactly what you’ve done during the first quarter, where will you be at the end of the second quarter…or at the end of the year for that matter?

Will you be struggling, spinning your wheels and in the same place where you are right now?

Why would you want that?

Especially when you could be…

• Confidently executing the plan that launches your new online business…

• Completing the manuscript that makes you a best-selling author…

• Running the marathon you promised yourself and getting back into great shape…

• Crushing your sales goals, breaking records and earning some huge commissions.

I know you started out the year with the best of intentions…determined that this year would be different, however somewhere along the way, you lost your focus and dropped the ball…and now you find yourself having to play catch up.

It happens to the best of us…but the good news is that about to change for the better and I mean much better.

So what do you do if you’re under-performing and below target…what strategies can you deploy to make up for lost time…how do you right your wrongs and quickly redeem yourself?

I put together this Comeback Manifesto to answer those questions and to provide you with a game plan—specific actions and implementation strategies that you can deploy to bounce back, redeem yourself and absolutely crush your second quarter goals.

You must recognize a few things about the importance of seizing this opportunity to start the second quarter fast, focused and fired up.

1. The second quarter will have little value to you from a productivity standpoint, if you do not demonstrably step up your game and deploy better execution strategies. In a very real sense, this is a use it or lose it proposition.

2. Your loss is someone else’s gain as someone with more courage, conviction and smarts than you will find a way to improve their performance, and make the kind of progress you only wished for.

The importance of how you execute the second quarter of the year cannot be overstated…as if you have a successful second quarter, it naturally follows that you are closing any performance gaps, building momentum and setting yourself up for a successful year.

An aggressive approach to redeeming yourself in the second quarter is smart business and a devastating competitive advantage as your competition is left with no option other than to spend the balance of the year playing catch up.

The second quarter has arrived…and the comeback plan that follows provides you with the motivational fuel and justification you need to crush your goals and make this the best year of your life.

COMEBACKS, REDEMPTION AND SECOND ACTS are ubiquitous in our culture today: the salesperson or entrepreneur who turns a bad year or quarter into one of redemption and prosperity, the celebrity or athlete who falls from grace and bounces back bigger and better than ever.

So often it’s a major setback — cancer, divorce, job loss, the death of a loved one, bankruptcy, an accident, or a faux pas — that puts the spotlight on our lives and shows us the way to a meaningful “second act.”

Sooner or later we all hit the skids. It happens to everyone. At some point we all wind up with our backs against the wall and need to make a comeback.

Yes, we all get knocked down, but successful people know how to pick themselves back up. So how do we do it?

Here’s your playbook for success…

This Comeback Manifesto is your catalyst for quickly and dramatically turning things around… primarily because it focuses on one thing—getting you from point A to B (setback to comeback) as quickly as possible.

The single best strategy for staging your comeback and creating radical results fast is…to play a strong, relentless offense.

Teaching you how to play offense…more specifically, how to become a formidable opponent, an unstoppable powerhouse, a lean, mean results generating machine that turns things around quickly and makes huge performance gains is what this Comeback Manifesto is all about…so let’s talk strategy…

Strategy is defined as a plan of action intentionally designed to achieve a desired goal. There are two and only two types of strategy…offense and defense.

Offensive strategy exists to advance your position, to score goals, to put points on the board…to win. Offensive strategy is proactive…it means playing to win.

Defensive strategy is about protective posturing, it exists to hold ground, to prevent the offense or opposition from scoring. Defensive strategy is reactive…it means PLAYING NOT TO LOSE.

Without apology or sugarcoating…far too many people spend their lives deploying the wrong strategy and that’s precisely why they find themselves in need of a comeback.

They choose to play defense. They choose to resist change. They choose to maintain the status quo. They choose to lower their standards. They choose to play it safe and settle for less.

They do not strike fast and hard when opportunity presents itself. They merely exist; they are a spectator and live a small fear-filled life.

Because of playing defense, they operate in a reactive, wait-and-see mode, constantly retreating, forever back pedaling, they are ridiculously hyper-cautious…. and sadly, they will have very little to show on the first quarter highlight reel.

On the other hand, those that choose to deploy a strong, relentless and determined offense in the second quarter and beyond will find themselves constantly advancing, consistently gaining ground, building massive momentum, proactively creating the conditions for positive change in the second quarter and most importantly…achieving their goals.

That’s what you really want? Isn’t it?

As to why it matters…while there’s always a time and place for defensive competitive strategy…a strong, relentless offensive strategy is the ONLY sure way you are going to stage your comeback and crush your goals.

What follows is your ten-point game plan for driving bigger, better and faster results in the second quarter. Deploy it vigilantly and not only will you be astonished by the results…you may even be tempted to name your next kid after me.

COMEBACK RULE 01 – REFUSE TO DIE

THOSE WITH THE CHARACTER to triumph in the end Refuse to Die. They will not allow the indignity of a failure or setback to force them out of the game.

You will not turn things around, nor do you stand a chance of making any meaningful progress in the second quarter until and unless you refuse to die.

Until you decide to go all in and crush your second quarter goals by developing a plan and executing your plan consistently…you will forever remain in the situation you are in.

To stage your comeback and redeem yourself, you must look in the mirror and decide that once and for all…that you are done playing defense, that you are done settling for table scraps, that you are done standing by idly on the sideline while other people that you do not perceive as being neither as bright nor as talented as you who are living in nicer homes, driving finer cars, and enjoying a far superior quality of life.

WHY? It’s very simple…decision always precedes action.

That’s why you must decide that no matter what happens in your quest to turn things around …no matter how much suffering you need to endure…no matter the price you need to pay… that you are in it to win it…and that you Refuse to Die.

COMEBACK RULE 02 – MOVE FAST

IF THE OBJECTIVE is to make up for lost time and to crush your second quarter goals, than you owe it to yourself to find the fastest way to get it done.

If you can’t, won’t or simply refuse to accept or dismiss out of hand what I’m about to share with you…you’re making a huge mistake, one that will cost you any chance of making your comeback.

THINK ABOUT IT…

If the goal is to become debt free…why perpetuate the pain and do it slowly?

If the goal is to lose weight and get in great shape…why on earth should it be a long draw out process?

If the goal is to get better grades…why should it take any longer than the next exam to turn things around?

If the goal is to become the sales leader…why should it take until next quarter or next year when you can wear the crown next month?

The fact is…any goal, plan, idea or project expands so as to fill and reinforce the unrealistic amount of time you have made available for its completion. That’s why comeback rule #2 is to Move Fast.

COMEBACK RULE 03 – START SAYING NO

“NO” is not only the most powerful word in your vocabulary…it’s also a complete sentence. It’s the easiest word for setting a limit, honoring priorities, holding firm to boundaries, and being clear about what you will or will not do during the second quarter.

You will be infinitely more productive once you recognize that:

1. “No” is not a dirty word, negative word, nor is it a selfish word. Learning to say “No” is liberating as it frees up your time to focus on your key priorities.

2. You are in complete control of how you spend your time and your life. Saying “No” allows you more time and energy to pursue your goals and wildest ambitions.

3. Saying, “No,” increases the value of the things you can, “Yes” to.

The fact is…success demands a short YES list and a long NO list, yet most people have that one reverse engineered…and pay dearly for it.

Saying “No” is the most strategic decision you can make in staging your comeback as it immediately improves and accelerates both focus and effectiveness—guaranteeing a fast start to the second quarter.

COMEBACK RULE 04 – FOCUS ON RESULTS

THE GREATEST WASTE of untapped resources in this world are the resolutions and intentions that don’t translate into purposeful, goal directed behavior.

Resolutions and intentions like getting in shape, writing a novel, learning a language, or even unpacking the boxes from your last move are simply meaningless without action.

I can state the following with the certainty of a man holding four aces…if resolutions and intentions were of any value…other than to bring a false sense of comfort to the delusional…well, everybody would be skinny, happy and rich.

To stage your comeback and crush your second quarter goals, you must judiciously focus on results for the simple reason that in the end…only results matter. Intentions and resolutions devoid of action are meaningless and incapable of putting food on your table…or clothes on your back.

Your results serve as judge, jury and execution of your performance.

This truth applies the same way to a sales person’s ability to meet or exceed quota, to a student’s ability to maintain good grades in school, to a Coaches ability to build a winning record, as well as to your ability to stage your comeback and crush your second quarter goals.

There is a rule without an exception…therefore, stop focusing on intentions and start focusing on results.

COMEBACK RULE 05 – BE UNREASONABLE

STAGING YOUR COMEBACK and fast tracking your second quarter goals requires that you become unreasonable in what you expect from yourself…and in the unreasonable demands you make upon others.

Most people on the other hand settle for a small squeak of their potential because they bought into the belief that simply being reasonable is the way to go. How foolish and casualty creating that belief is.

The reasonable person adapts themselves to the world while the unreasonable one persists in trying to adopt the world to himself. Therefore, all large, significant and lasting progress depends on the unreasonable person.

True success is achieved by the minority of people and requires an unconventional way of thinking. Great achievements are, have been, and will always be the results of unreasonable people driven by unreasonable expectations and exceptionally high standards.

The only way to fully redeem yourself and knock the ball out of the park in the second quarter is to take the road less traveled…to set big, challenging and unreasonable goals…and going for it in a big way.

COMEBACK RULE 06 – GO ABOVE AND BEYOND

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN those who make a successful comeback and those who continue to under-perform…has everything to do with one’s readiness, willingness and ability to go above and beyond expectations.

Delivering only what your customer expects will give you job security (maybe), but it won’t make you stand out.

And if you don’t stand out, you won’t get promoted, you won’t get the referral, you won’t get the repeat business, and you won’t get the lifetime loyalty, devotion and reverence you’re after.

In short, you can’t expect extraordinary results or superior compensation without consistently going above and beyond your client’s expectations.

The masses are always foolishly on the lookout for a new gimmick, a shiny new performance hack, a shortcut…but the truth is, the quickest way to advance your career, to earn trust, to develop a world-class reputation and to make a successful comeback is by always going ABOVE AND BEYOND.

You either get the importance of it, or you do not.

COMEBACK RULE 07 – RISE AND SHINE

IF YOU’RE EVER going to find your greatness, and turn things around in the second quarter…you must decide that what you want is BIGGER and far more important than any fear, excuse or self-limiting belief which prevents you from achieving it.

By doing so, you will rise to every challenge with confidence, conviction, and certainty.

If you think about it, you only have two choices when faced with an obstacle, challenge or opportunity: you can choose to rise and shine…or you can let it beat you down into submission.

As with most everything in life, it matters more what we do about what happens to us more than what actually happens to us.

The ultimate reason for setting big, challenging goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them.

You must refuse to die, you must decide that you will not be defeated, that you will not succumb to difficulty, nor will you ever tolerate an excuse…as your greatest glory is not in falling, but in rising and shining every time you fall.

COMEBACK RULE 08 – BE RELENTLESS

YOUR SUCCESS IN making a successful comeback and crushing your second quarter goals is forever linked to your heart…your will…your steadfast commitment to your goals.

The relentless attitude is the winning attitude, and the remarkable thing about life is that we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

You cannot ever let fatigue make you a coward, nor can you ever expect to win without struggling, without suffering, without sacrificing…as these are all essential elements for making a comeback and redeeming yourself.

Being relentless is a commitment, an empowering mindset that stands in the face of obstacles, hardships, temptations, financial difficulties, failing physical health, broken relationships, and stiff competition.

Victory belongs neither to the faint-hearted nor to the weak-willed or the uncommitted. Not if the enemy is great and his resolution strong. Only by facing the opponent head-on and with a vengeance can the battle be won.

Staging your comeback and quickly closing any performance gaps necessitates that you fight on with undying, relentless determination.

COMEBACK RULE 09 – STAY HUNGRY

EVERY goal poses a simple question: How badly do you want it?

To realize your potential and to crush your second quarter goals, you must respond with some version of this answer: More.
And then you must prove it…that’s where hunger and passion come into the picture.

Passion is hardcore devotion to a person, goal or cause; it infuses life with meaning, joy, significance and unbridled enthusiasm. It’s desire in your heart, it’s fire in your belly…it’s the twinkle in your eye…it’s your magnificent obsession.

Passion is your psychological mojo, it’s the reason why you get up early and work late, it’s the why that points the way…and it is an indispensable virtue that’s far more valuable than money, power, or fame.

Whatever your goals are in the second quarter…it’s your passion, the white hot flame burning in your belly…that is the ONLY thing that will keep you committed to success.

In the end, the hungriest person always wins…therefore, stay hungry and prove to yourself everyday how badly you want it by taking take massive relentless action.

COMEBACK RULE 10 – BECOME A QUICK CHANGE ARTIST

AS YOU WORK towards the goal of making a successful comeback and fully redeeming yourself in the second quarter…you must embrace the idea that your ability to recognize and adapt to change quickly is an asset in need of cultivation.

While adapting to the relentless pace of change is difficult…not adapting is fatal as history is littered with the corpses of very successful people and companies who were brought to their knees, and put in an early grave due to their inability or unwillingness to adapt or adjust to the changing environment in which they found themselves in.

In almost every case, the sources of failure are obvious and avoidable — a failure to implement technologies that have already been developed, an arrogant disregard for changing customer demands, a complacent attitude towards new competitors.

Throw in fear, the gravitational pull of resistance, and a love affair with the comfort zone… and you’ve got yourself the perfect storm.

Change descends upon each one of us equally; the difference is that some of us realize it faster than others and adapt accordingly. That’s why you must implement this final comeback rule…become a quick change artist.

NOW…ARE YOU READY TO BOUNCE BACK, REDEEM YOURSELF and CRUSH YOUR SECOND QUARTER GOALS?

I’m going to take the liberty of being blunt right…

There’s no point in pretending that staging a successful comeback in the second quarter is anything less than the SAVVIEST MOVE YOU CAN MAKE RIGHT NOW.

And while there are plenty of excuses, there’s no good reason for you to procrastinate, to say the timing is not right…or that it’s not worth your time.

That’s why I created the 100 Day Challenge.

The 100 Day Challenge is a HARDCORE GOAL SETTING PROGRAM designed with one purpose in mind—to show you how to get more accomplished in the next 100 days than most people do over the course of ten years.

I know a thing or two about driving radical results fast…and if you have a sincere desire to crush your second quarter goals, play a much bigger game and MAKE THIS THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE…the 100 Day Challenge is the program for you.

Over the years, I have become known as The Goals Guy and developed a reputation as someone immensely successful entrepreneurs, executives, professional athletes and even Special Military Forces turn to when they need to step up their execution skills.

I created the 100 Day Challenge to share with you the same methods I have used to shatter sales goals, quickly grow a number of multi-million dollar businesses, and coach people to extraordinary, legacy defining performances.

And…I accept full responsibility for inspiring people to do insane things like climb Mount Everest, run their first triathlon, launch their own businesses, and say adios to their comfort zone…forever.

I’m confident I can do the same for you.

THE 100 DAY CHALLENGE…is a proven execution model that produces the highest levels of performance. Like any world-class competition…it contains the elements necessary for the unleashing of your greatness…rules, performance standards, accountability, a scoreboard, a finish line, fans, competition and most of all fun.

The best part is that 100 Day Challenge is appropriate for EVERYONE in the Boardroom, Classroom, Locker Room and Living Room.

YOU’LL LOVE THE 100 DAY CHALLENGE…

Primarily because we focus on one thing – getting you from point A to point B as quickly as possible – and we’re pretty darn good at it.

In fact, the 100 Day Challenge has delivered jaw-dropping results for more than 675,000 people in over 80 countries around the world, to include some of the most respected companies in the world.

Is the 100 Day Challenge demanding? Does it require discipline, accountability, hard work, sustained commitment and relentless action?

You bet it does, but the results are ridiculously huge and life changing.

Right now, at this very moment, you’re only 100 days from transforming your life…from crushing your goals…getting in great shape…becoming debt free…skyrocketing your sales and income…and achieving any goal you want in record time.

So…why wait another moment?

Sign up for the 100 Day Challenge… and together let’s get busy making some big things happen in the second quarter… and staging a comeback for the ages.

Gary Ryan Blair is creator of the 100 Day Challenge…a radical approach to goal achievement that shows you how to 10X your goals by applying the strategies of growth hacking.

Join an enthusiastic community of 675,000+ aspiring people and get the training, support and accountability you need to turn your big goals and crazy dreams into breakthrough success.