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Got a Year?
This is the time of year when many people make New Year’s resolutions.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: the best New Year’s resolution I ever made was to never make another New Year’s resolution. (I might add that it’s also my only successful New Year’s resolution.)
That said, here we are at the end of one year looking forward to the next. This is a wonderful opportunity to take stock, celebrate what we’ve accomplished, and create new expectations and plans for what’s to come. There’s a big difference between this process and spending a few minutes thinking about a “resolution” — and yes, a big part of that big difference is that it takes a little more time and a little more focus. The secret about this, though, is that it’s fun — and the results, especially when you go through the process every year, can be amazing!
There are five steps: two help evaluate the year past, the third creates a transition from the old year to the new year, and the last two set expectations and plans for the year to come. You can complete the steps on your own, but it’s more fun and more rewarding to share them with your spouse or partner, or with a close friend.
Step One: What did you expect to happen during the year? Put yourself back in time. Though you may not have made any specific plans or set any specific expectations, you certainly had some ideas of what you wanted to do, have, or be. What were those ideas and expectations? You may find it a little difficult to keep yourself from thinking about what actually happened instead of what you expected to happen, but stay focused for now on your expectations! Think about career, house, family, friends, finances, and fun!
Step Two: Now that you’ve reminded yourself of what you anticipated, it’s time to take a look at what actually happened. Make sure you note the surprises as well as how events aligned with your expectations — and be very sure that you note all the good things that happened, things you did and accomplished that maybe you’ve forgotten about in the hurry and hustle of life. Take a look at where you were in each area you’re evaluating and see how far you’ve come. And then take a moment to really appreciate yourself and your efforts.
Step Three: This is the transition step, in which you’re going to look at why there were differences between what you expected and what actually came to pass. Did some of your plans or expectations succeed beyond your imaginings? How did that happen, and how can you apply your new understanding to next year’s projects, goals, and dreams to make them equally successful? Did something get lost in the shuffle, and do you want to put it back on your list for the upcoming year? What went wrong with missed expectations, and how can you fix that for next time?
Step Four: Now think about specific things that you want to do, be, and accomplish in the year ahead. Be reasonable; consider what you’ve learned in steps Two and Three, and make sure that you have an outline of, or at least an idea about, how as well as what. These aren’t resolutions! these are plans, and there’s a huge difference!
Step Five: What’s your Theme for the Year? Take a look at what you’ve learned and what you’ve planned, and find the commonalities. Many of your new expectations will have an identifiable theme, whether it’s around your career, family, new skills and interests, or any of many other possibilities. Setting a theme for the year creates focus, inspiration, and excitement!
Have you got
- Dreams to live?
- Ideas to implement?
- Careers to advance?
- Friends and family members to enjoy?
- New things to learn?
- Vacations to take?
- A difference to make?
If you have any or all of these things or something I’ve left out, doesn’t it make sense to spend a little time thinking about how to make all of that actually come to pass? I challenge you to spend time on each of these steps — and see what a difference it makes.
“Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.” Lester R. Bittel, industrial engineer, prolific author, and recognized expert on management and supervision./i>
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