How to Sum up the Results of the Year
It is very fashionable to avoid anything drastic at this time of year. After all, trying to improve yourself shouldn’t be done once a year. On the other hand, the end of the year is a great time for reflection. This is a chance to take stock of how we are doing professionally and personally, physically and emotionally. And what we learn can help us define our goals for next year.
As influence coach Katie Sandler told Fast Company, “If we don’t look back, how are we going to move forward?” Sandler invites you to start looking back by asking yourself the following questions:
1. What were three or four highs and three or four lows? This is where you start taking inventory and raising awareness, she says.
2. What enabled or prompted you to reach these heights and how did you successfully overcome the lows?
3. What worked and what didn’t work? In other words, what do you need to do more or less?
4. What worried you the most and how could you better navigate in this?
5. And most importantly, what were you most grateful for in 2019, and how can you carry that forward into 2020?
Start with your lows
Every night, as my husband and son and I sit at the dinner table together, we talk about our day’s ups and downs. One really good thing that happened and one that amazed us. I like to start at “low” so that I end up on a positive note. And this is what I suggest you do as you look back to 2019.
Even if you had a really great year, there must have been speed bumps along the way. Think about any professional setbacks, serious conflicts with family members or friends, or any physical ailment you have suffered. If you successfully crossed these lows, how did you do it? Or how could you better cope with difficult situations? Take a few minutes to consider how well you have acted in the face of adversity.
So what were your highs?
On the other hand, even if you had an epic shitty year, something had to go well. Think about the relationship in your life that has grown stronger. What have you done well in your career? What new positive habits have you managed to maintain this year? You may finally get enough sleep, drink more water, or prefer other types of personal care.
Write down notes about each event of the year – why was it important to you, what was the catalyst for achieving it, and are there ways to repeat this success in other areas of your life? Give yourself time to enjoy all the good things you have experienced this year.
Recognize and celebrate progress
Perhaps 2019 was the year you wanted to write your first book; instead, you only managed to cut out half of the rough manuscript. That’s double the manuscript you started! Progress remains positive even if you haven’t crossed the finish line.
Think about the goals you started the year with (especially helpful if you actually wrote them down) and note any steps you have taken to achieve those goals. Think about which habits or practices have motivated you and how you can expand them over the next year to make even more progress.
The takeaways from your year-end review should be less about where you went right or where you went wrong; it is more important to internalize what you have learned. Reflecting on what you’ve learned can help you formulate more practical goals or solutions for the new year and outline how to achieve them.
Editor’s Note: As of posting, the original link to the Fast Company article does not appear to be working.