the great lock-in is stressing me out

There’s a trend going around called The Great Lock-In — a self-imposed Q4 bootcamp where you set big goals and “lock in” on discipline, structure, and momentum to finish the year strong.

And honestly? It sounds a lot like the “predictable surprises” I used to deal with in client services.

Every fall, some client would show up with unspent budget or suddenly “urgent” OKRs and ask for a Hail Mary — a campaign, a workshop, a win.

We’d hustle. They’d look like heroes.
Everyone would high-five and collapse by mid-December.

And that’s just the client work.

Internally, you’re also trying to wrap up the year:
• Finalize performance reviews
• Complete 360s
• Manage promotions, raises, and off-sites
• Plan for next year’s budget
• Throw a holiday party
• And maybe — maybe — rest for five seconds before setting New Year’s resolutions.

So when I hear people turning the end of the year into one last performance sprint — I get it. And I’m not suggesting that you walk away from it because this is just the way business works, in my experience.

But I think there’s a better way to lock-in that doesn’t:
• Spike your cortisol.
• Blow out your boundaries.
• Push you into burnout while your inner critic whispers that you’re not doing enough.

So what if we reframed The Great Lock-In…

as a challenge to reset your nervous system?

In Ayurveda, fall marks the beginning of Vata season — a time of increased anxiety, overthinking, restlessness, and physical depletion.

It’s already a season of spiraling.

So maybe your Lock-In doesn’t need to be a hustle.

Maybe it looks like:
• Committing to a daily rhythm (even a gentle one)
• Grounding with warm food and warm thoughts
• Saying no to urgency disguised as opportunity
• Swapping adrenaline for presence

You can still end the year strong — just don’t forget to end it intact.