As the year comes to a close are you running around closing business before the end of the year and doing last minute preparations for holidays? Have you had time to breathe and look back at your year?
I find it a great activity to schedule/plan a time to reflect on the past year from a professional perspective. Put it in your calendar, schedule a time for yourself. Go to your favorite spot, a coffee shop, your office, a walk in the woods, wherever you are able to think and reflect.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What were the bright spots in the last year?
- What were the pleasant surprises, the things you didn’t anticipate?
- Did your business/career move in a forward direction?
- Did you achieve/exceed what you were expecting this year?
- If yes, what were the success factors?
- If no, what happened? What can you learn and improve for the future?
- What do you “wish” you had done differently?
- Who were you champions, your cheering squad?
- Who have you met that you want to build relationships with in 2011?
- What do you want to leave behind in 2010?
- What do you want to change for 2011?
- What do you want to do new in 2011?
- What do you want to keep for 2011?
Consciously think about each question, celebrate the successes and learn from things that didn’t work. Bring forward what important for 2011, be honest and challenge yourself. Perhaps it is time to be planning for a career change. For business owners perhaps it is time to update your marketing plans, retire or introduce a new product.
Right now, pull out your agenda or your smart phone and book an appointment with yourself in the next 3 weeks.
Do it right now, you are important!
Insights for Achieving Professional Success 