Often, we use this time of year to look forward, setting aspirational goals for our future selves.
And if that’s your thing, great.
But this year we suggest you consider something a bit different: A lookback. A personal Year in Review.
The “Year in Review” within the business world is a common practice. But for whatever reason it rarely makes its way into our approach for personal development.
Here’s why we’re fans of the strategy: It’s a comprehensive approach that doesn’t just focus on self-improvement, but also explores the context for all you’ve done (or sometimes not done).
Too often, resolutions, while shrouded in hope and dreams, subtly put added focus on our failures and missteps.
Let’s look at a classic example:
In 2023 I’ll run a marathon.
When we resolve to improve our physical health, we also imply that we’ve failed to achieve this in the past (or that we’ve failed to become fit enough). The resolution becomes a focus on “fixing” what we have failed to do thus far. I didn’t run a marathon in 2022, but I will run a marathon in 2023.
But when we conduct a Year in Review, we access more data. That data allows us to be better informed in seeing a path to future success while also being kind to ourselves.
Instead of just looking at the faces of others crossing the finish line after a big race and declaring that you resolve to be one of those people on X date in 2023, think about all you’ve already achieved this year that puts you on a path to achieving this new goal.
Reflect. Identify the small victories. And record. Some examples to consider:
How many times did you exercise in 2022? What types of exercise? What times of day did you most frequently follow through on your commitment?
Are you eating more vegetables? What new healthy recipes did you discover and add to your repertoire?
Did you up your daily water intake? By how much?
Did you finally find the tennis shoes of your dreams? (Yes, this does matter, we swear!)
Identifying the small victories doesn’t negate the big goals that you hope to attain in this coming year. But identifying the small victories does help you identify your current performance levels so you can better step into 2023 positioned to succeed.
Suddenly, you’re not looking at this big lofty goal and starting from scratch. Instead, you see how you’re building on past successes to move yourself forward. It’s also an opportunity to pause and ask yourself, “Wait, do I even care about this goal anymore?” Sometimes we set goals on autopilot. And the Year in Review is designed to break that cycle and return to intentional planning.
Let’s break it down.
1. Celebrate all you did do.
Before you even identify a goal, identify all you’ve accomplished. This doesn’t even need to fall into one overarching category. Just pause and jot down your wins from this year. Maybe they have to do with health, maybe they have to do with finance, or perhaps that have to do with improving relationships with those you love.
Don’t be timid.
Be loud and proud of all you’ve pulled off this year. It can be surprising to realize all we’ve accomplished when we truly look back and write it all down.
2. Identify where you fell short.
Take some time to write down areas where you didn’t grow as much as you’d hoped. Maybe you ended up contributing less to your Roth IRA than you’d hoped because your HVAC system went out unexpectedly, or maybe a family illness meant you needed to put time with friends on the backburner.
This isn’t about blame or shame. This is simply an exercise in factually recording what didn’t go as planned. Sometimes things don’t go to plan because of unforeseen circumstances. But sometimes things don’t go to plan because the plan wasn’t a good one in the first place.
Sometimes your priorities change.
So just because you fell short, doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. And it definitely doesn’t make you a failure. It just means you didn’t do something. That’s it. (Really.)
3. Reflect to inform your future.
Now that you’ve outlined all you’ve accomplished (and also what you didn’t get around to tackling), it’s time to start connecting some dots to guide your future goals. Ask yourself:
· Which of your 2022 priorities can go by the wayside? Let’s say you were going to declutter and organize your basement this year. But 12 months later it has yet to happen. Do you still care? It may seem like an obvious question, but it’s one many of us fail to ask. If you don’t care about your basement reorganization project anymore, cross it off your list.
· What still matters? Where do you have momentum in your life? Perhaps some of your wins from this year will fuel future gains. Harness that energy to drive future growth.
· What new priorities have surfaced? We are all growing and changing. As new passions emerge, set new goals around them.
Change is inevitable, so make adjustments as needed.
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns’ famous words are famous for a reason. But there’s a missing piece to the narrative here:
Plans don’t have to be static. They can be dynamic.
When you set out to build a financial plan with The Prosperity People, you’re not creating a contract that you live and die by. You’re creating a vision that can (and will) change course as life unfolds.
Your personal goals (and your New Year’s resolutions) are no different.
Things change. It’s inevitable. So instead of digging our feet in, assess, reflect, and adjust course. It’s advice that applies to your financial plan, but it’s also advice that has many applications.
Celebrate the wins, identify where you fell short, reflect on where you are today, and adjust accordingly. That’s how to set goals with intention.