The First Step Toward a Successful 2017

I love this time of year!  It seems like that for a brief time, generosity and relationships take their rightful place in our busy lives.  As we come to the end of 2016 and think about the new year before us, we have a special opportunity…

The special opportunity that I’m referring to is not last-minute Christmas sales, or same-day delivery from Amazon. I’m talking about the chance to think about and review 2016.

I have found that the first step toward a successful new year is to reflect on the past year.  And there is no better time for reflecting on this year than now, as 2016 draws to its end.

Here are a few of the benefits of reflecting:

1. Reflecting cultivates gratitude.

When I look back at the past year, inevitably I remember several things that make me grateful.  Sometimes it’s a “win” or victory in my business. Other times I remember a joyful time with my family that brings a smile to my face.

Overall, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunities of the prior year and for the blessing of my work, family and relationships. My yearly review certainly stokes the fires of my abundance mentality!

2. Reflecting reveals my true priorities.

As I look back at how I spent my time and attention over the past year, I am struck with my real set of life priorities.  It does not matter what I said to myself, or proclaimed to others about what was important to me.

My actual schedule and activities for the year reveal my true priorities.  As you can imagine, sometimes I encouraged by my “look back” findings, other times I realize that my time and focus were not closely aligned with my stated priorities.

Either way, I’m better off after an honest evaluation of how I spent my time during the last twelve months.

3. Reflecting helps me learn and adjust.

When I think about the successes and failures that occurred this year, I gain a better understanding of what did and did not work. I think about what activities yielded the desired results, and what didn’t.

For those times where I fell short of the goal, I think about how I can adjust my approach to secure success in the future. For the “wins”, I take time to re-affirm what worked and why, so that I can continue to leverage this approach in the new year.

4. Reflecting helps me prepare to set new goals.

When I understand where I have been and where I am now, it is easier to chart the path to where I want to go.

Each year about this time, I start my goal setting process – and it begins with Reflecting Back on the past year.  Then I progress on toward setting my goals for the coming year.

Do you set goals? If you do, or if you would like to start, I have a FREE resource on goal setting for you.  I call it my Goal Tip Sheet with Five Proven Strategies to Achieve Your Goals – and you can get it by <Clicking Here>.  I truly believe that you’ll be better positioned to set AND achieve meaningful goals for 2017, if you follow the straight-forward tips in this free document!

Do you take time to pause and reflect on your business and life?  When do you typically take time for this important endeavor? Have you started to think about what you want to accomplish and who you want to be for 2017? You can leave comments by <clicking here>.

Do you know someone who could benefit from my free Goal Tip Sheet resource? Embrace the generosity of the season and share or forward this blog post to them. You’ll be glad you did.