Can you believe it? We’re nearing the end of the first quarter of 2026. Yes, only 280 days until Christmas (yeah, I’m that girl). They say time flies when you’re having fun, so, I must be having a blast! Moving into a new house, family visits, a huge portfolio review, DocuSign’s flying, a spreadsheet full of holes that need to be filled plus a blog due tomorrow! With all of the things swirling, I need a moment to think and collect myself. How am I going to stay ahead in 2026?
When I was in sales, my quota would reset on the 1st of each month. I’d sit with my manager and discuss my pipeline and talk about how I was going to achieve my goals. Naturally, I’d get overwhelmed by the conversation. I’d work so hard to figure out how I was going to hit “my numbers”. In the midst of my anxiety my (very wise) manager would always say the same thing… “You eat an elephant one bite at a time”
The prospect of eating an elephant sounded well, disgusting but, after I started thinking about my month, quarter and year in this way, the task didn’t seem as big. One bite at a time and everything counts!
Tips on Eating Elephants
Stay organized
Keep a centralized tracker for your properties, vendors, and open items. Whether it’s a spreadsheet or CRM, knowing exactly where each deal, contract, or installation stands saves time and prevents things from slipping through the cracks—especially when you’re managing multiple service lines.
Keep your goals visible
Break your quarterly targets into smaller, actionable milestones—by property, by service, or by week. When your goals are front and center, it’s easier to prioritize the work that actually moves the needle instead of getting lost in day-to-day noise.
Delegate
Lean on your partners. Your vendors, onsite teams, and internal support all play a role in execution. Clear communication and defined responsibilities allow you to focus on high-impact tasks instead of trying to manage every detail yourself….Better yet, hire ASM to oversee your contracts, conduct audits, find the best deals, create solutions, coordinate vendors….I digress!
Don’t let things fall behind
In this business, delays cost time and money. Stay ahead of follow-ups—whether it’s a pending contract, missing utility data, or an install date that needs confirmation. Small check-ins now prevent bigger issues later and keep projects moving forward.
At the end of the day, “eating the elephant” isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about taking the next bite. Some days that bite is big and satisfying, and other days it’s barely a nibble. But progress is progress, and it all adds up.
As we head into the rest of 2026, I’m reminding myself (and maybe you too) that the chaos doesn’t go away—we just get better at managing it. The deals, the deadlines, the endless to-do lists—they’re all part of the elephant. And instead of staring at the whole thing and feeling overwhelmed, I’m choosing to focus on what’s right in front of me.
One task. One follow-up. One win at a time.
So here’s to staying organized, keeping our goals in sight, leaning on our teams, and not letting things slip through the cracks. Here’s to momentum over perfection.
And most importantly—here’s to taking the next bite.