Welcome to The Quiet Rich, your weekly email for a quiet mind + a rich life. Today I’m sharing the best method I’ve found to accelerate your dream life.
CONTEXT
It was a Friday afternoon. I had approximately 39 tabs open for half-finished projects (yes, I’m a tab goblin 😅). My inbox overflowed with unanswered emails, and my calendar was stuffed with back-to-back meetings that somehow created more work rather than get any done.
I was busy— so why did it feel like I barely moved the needle on the important stuff?
(Sound familiar?)
I remember walking to a coffee shop that weekend, overwhelmed and trying to decide what to focus on first. I was listening to a podcast, and that’s when I heard Greg McKeown talk about the Personal Quarterly Offsite.
His concept instantly clicked in my brain. I was super busy and sprinting hard— but not on the things that mattered. (Because I never sat down to decide what those were.)
I do quarterly business reviews at work. So why wouldn’t I do quarterly life reviews for myself? We spend so much time working in our life and so little time working ON it.
A few weeks later, I'm sitting in a small cabin overlooking a lake. My notes are spread across a wooden table. My phone is off. My email auto-responder is active. And for the next 24 hours, my only focus is to prioritize 3-5 big projects for the next 3 months (so I could say no to everything else).
3 years later (after doing this every quarter), my career transformed in ways I never could have imagined. I landed a dream role at Google. I founded The Quiet Rich and Archimedes. I ranked the #1 female creator and #1 productivity creator on LinkedIn.
And the secret wasn’t working harder. It was stepping back to ensure I was working on the right things.
That’s the best career advice I’ve ever received. Direction matters more than speed.
THE METHOD
The Personal Quarterly Offsite is surprisingly straightforward but incredibly effective.
Plan yours in five simple steps:
1. Block the Time
- Set aside one full day at the end of each quarter (March, June, September, December)
- Eliminate all distractions; no emails, calls, or interruptions for that 1 day
- Choose a location away from your normal environment—a quiet library, a nature retreat, or even a “staycation” at a hotel in town
- Remember: new surroundings = new thinking
2. Reflect on Your Past 3 Months
- Bring data! Review your calendar, photos, journal, projects, and goals from the past 90 days
- Celebrate your wins: What went exceptionally well this quarter?
- Acknowledge challenges: What didn't work? What were your low moments?
- Write down 5 of each. Look for patterns in both successes and struggles
3. Decide what’s important to you
- Think about your long-term goals
- Do your daily actions match up? If not, what needs to change?
- Identify what you need to STOP doing - commitments, projects, or habits that drain your energy without moving you forward
- (Remember: Saying no to the non-essential makes space for what truly matters)
4. Plan Your Next 3 Months
- Choose 3-5 priority projects that will make the biggest impact
- I like to set my goals across different life categories: Relationships, Health, Career, Adventure, Personal Finance
- Break these priorities down into concrete milestones with specific deadlines
5. Establish Regular Check-ins
- The magic happens in the follow-through.
- Block 10 minutes every Friday to review your progress and adjust course. Are you saying no to everything that doesn’t align with your priorities?
- Pro tip: End your personal offsite by scheduling your next one in 90 days.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily rush.
But if you’re going to sprint incredibly hard for the next 90 days, why wouldn’t you spend 1 day planning which direction you should go?
Remember: “Your direction is more important than your speed.” —Richard L. Evans. A lot of people are going really fast in the wrong direction…
Your career is simply too important to run on autopilot. Steer it deliberately and you’ll get to your goals much faster.
Try it out and let me know how it goes!
P.S. I loved this recent interview between Greg Mckeown and Tim Ferriss. Give it a listen if you want to dive deeper.
Much love,
Jade