For the past several years, I have found it to be helpful to carve out time to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead. In reflecting on the past, I am able to celebrate successes, learn from mistakes, and be aware of things that are unfinished. In planning for the future, I am putting in place a map that helps to guide how I spend time, energy, and priorities.
Daniel Harkavy, in his book Becoming a Coaching Leader, asserts that most people spend more time planning a vacation than they do planning their lives. In my coaching practice, I have found that there is a lot of truth to this! But spending even a small amount of time reflecting and planning can yield amazing results.
My challenge to you as 2014 comes to a close… Take some time to reflect on 2014 and plan for 2015. Just a couple of hours of thinking and making some notes will prove to be amazingly beneficial.
Here is the exercise:
Sometime over the next few days carve out a couple of hours to reflect on this past year and plan for next year. I have listed below four questions in looking back and four questions in looking forward.
Reflecting on and Completing 2014
- What was your biggest triumph of this past year?
- What was the greatest lesson you learned this past year?
- Who are the three people that had the greatest impact on your life this past year?
- What do you need to do or say to be finished with 2014?
Looking Forward to and Planning 2015
- What are three goals that you have for 2015?
- What would you most like to change about yourself in this next year?
- What are you looking forward to learning in 2015?
- Who are you committed to loving and serving in 2015?
Make sure to allocate a couple of hours for this and to write down your thoughts. When you finish, feel free to share some of your reflections in the comments from this post. I am hoping and praying for wisdom and growth for you as you move into 2015!
