Goals can be started, revised, completed, or even thrown out at any time. It seems almost arbitrary that many societies mark a shift from December 31st to January 1st. That said, the change from one year to another serves as a reminder to evaluate where we are now, how we got there, and where we are headed. It is December now, nearing that time for a retro of the year nearly behind and to contemplate goals and plans for the next. Mindfully taking inventory and creating a vision for the next leg of our journey can help us be intentional about what we do and why. These are the areas of focus I will be thinking about this time of year. Retro:
- What am I proud of?
- What did I accomplish?
- What did I learn?
- How did my relationships change?
- Did I live and work according to my values? Are there areas in which I deviated?
- What am I thankful for? Revisit:
- What are my values? (To stay grounded.)
- What are my work values? (To re-evaluate since these tend to change as life unfolds.)
- What are my strengths? (To help me invest in myself.)
- Who is on my "board of directors" for my professional growth? Are they the right people at this time? Who is missing? Goals:
- What two or three projects do I want to achieve?
- What do I want to learn? (This is usually something I am a little scared of, which means I need to find courage and go for it.)
- How will I show up wholeheartedly at work and play?
- What is my intention for the year? The reflective exercise of a retro look, re-evaluating, and setting new goals happens best with self-compassion, non-judgment, and openness to growth. I find it helpful to discuss these questions with my close friends, mentors, and "board of directors" for feedback. The people I invite into this self-examination are people that I trust, who are in the support section of the arena and cheer for me, and who care enough to give me candid but supportive feedback. (As a coach, I would love to be a part of your reflection. Let’s connect on a Discovery Call.) The list of questions has evolved through the years as I learn from others and develop a tighter focus on what is important to me. I happily share this list in case it is helpful to anyone else. Also, I welcome new questions to consider. As I said, my list of questions changes with time.
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