š” Donāt Share This With Your Boss (Issue 661)
Are you satisfied with the way things are going in your life?
This week would be a good time toĀ reflect on the year. But donāt share the outcome with your boss or manager. This exercise is for you, not your employer.
When you know this āpersonal reviewā will go no further than your own eyes, you can be brutally honest. Blow your own horn about your wins and achievements. Donāt hold back in identifying your failures and areas for improvement.
Think back on what you accomplished or failed to achieve this year. Take some time to think about how you really feel about your life and where things are going.
I do this exercise every December, too. Earlier in the year, Iām usually focused on optimizing my business, trying new ideas, investing in my professional development, and working my tail off. Iām so busy chasing goals that I rarely pause to review and think about whether theyāre still the right goals to keep chasing.
So, thatās the point of this. Take some time to think about your life.
Are your long-term goals and the vision for your life still what you want?
If so, are you on track with where you want your career and life to end up?
Are you happy with your progress?
Whatās going well?
Whatās not going well?
Postmortem review of the year
Of course, you could review your life at any time during the year. But youāre usually too busy working and living to take time to do it.
The end of the year is when most of us get some time off for the holidays. Itās a natural moment to clear your head and think about your life, how the year went, and how you hope the new year will turn out.
Explore every aspect of your life: personal, professional, emotional, romantic, friendships, family, financial, fulfillment, growth, health, fitness, your environment, etc. I ask my life coaching clients to assess all these factors to see how well they are living what I call a ā360 Life.ā It creates a helpful chart that gives a quick sense of how things are going.
It helps to review your calendar week by week, much as you did for your professional self-review. However, I also find it incredibly helpful to scroll back through all the photos on my phone. Every time I do that, I remember some event Iād forgotten (e.g., skiing, hiking, a fantastic dinner, a trip to Alaska).
Capture your thoughts using whatever method works best for you. Below are a few topics and questions to consider.
Good memories from this year
When you reflect on the year, what puts a smile on your face?
What did you enjoy most?
What do you appreciate about yourself?
When do you remember feeling happy?
When did you have fun?
Did you enjoy most of your days?
What are the best things that happened to you?
Bad memories from the year
When you reflect on the year, does anything make you feel sad?
What made you feel upset or angry?
Did you have any bad days at work?
Is there anything you wish hadnāt happened?
Is there anything you want to make sure you donāt repeat next year?
Professional wins this year
What did you accomplish (you should already have some of this from your self-review)?
Did you have any big wins in your career this year?
What were your small wins?
What new skills, knowledge, and experience did you add to your ātoolboxā?
Did you start a new job?
Did you get promoted or receive a raise?
What achievements are you most proud of?
Professional failures this year
Did you have any professional failures?
When did you feel you dropped the ball?
Were there times you knew you hadnāt done your best work?
Were you ever reprimanded at work?
Did you struggle with any work relationships?
Did you lose your job?
Were you passed over for a promotion?
Personal wins this year
What are you proud of accomplishing in your personal life?
Did you check off any items on your bucket list?
Did you meet any exciting new people or make new friends?
Did you take a fun trip?
Did you find time to invest in yourself?
Were there any books you enjoyed reading, new music discoveries, etc.?
Did you make progress in eliminating any debt you might have?
What valuable lessons did you learn?
Personal failures this year
Is there anything you regret doing or saying?
Did you miss a great opportunity?
When do you feel you wasted your time?
Were there any days when you struggled to get out of bed?
Did you have any issues in your personal relationships?
Did you drop the ball on investing in your health, wellness, and fitness?
Have you given up on a personal dream?
This exercise isnāt about beating yourself up or dwelling on the negative. For one, itās about recognizing and appreciating the beautiful moments in your life. But itās also about taking steps every year to continue improving your life.
Next week, weāll talk about your plan for the new year.
š By the way, if youāre still looking for a great holiday gift for an ambitious loved one or friend, how about a gift subscription to this newsletter and my exclusive career community?
Would you like to discuss your review of this year? You can always schedule a complimentary call with me.
Iām Larry Cornett, an executive coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate! If youāre interested in joining my free Invincible Career community, please complete this application form, and weāll get back to you.
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