Welcome to your end-of-year review. Unlike the review with your boss, there won’t be any small talk to begin the discussion, no 360-degree feedback from colleagues and your answers won’t impact your bonus.
This review is just for you. A moment to honestly and clearly reflect on 2022 and evaluate your progress towards achieving your goals. There is no judgement, only opportunities to celebrate your successes and adjust your approach in the future.
Why Review the Year?
In our fast-paced world, it’s not uncommon to feel like you are fighting one fire after another. The issue right in front of you is the one you deal with first. And the result is that at the end of the year, when you reflect on your accomplishments, little to no progress has been made on the things that actually matter to you.
If you feel this way, rest assured you are not a failure and you are not alone. In fact, you might even be in the majority of people who have achieved a great deal during the year yet, for whatever reason, feel no closer to achieving their goals.
An end-of-year review allows you to press the pause button. It gives you an opportunity to take the time to consider what you want out of your life and your career. Additionally, evaluating the past year gives you the freedom to look towards 2023 and set goals for the year ahead with renewed energy and a sense of optimism.
The purpose of the review is to look at where you are now versus where you were at the start of 2022. And to do this, begin by asking three simple questions:
1. What have you accomplished this year?
Your answers to this question are a reason to celebrate. Take a moment to recognise that you were able to achieve some amazing things in 2022. You may not have completed everything on your list, but what you did accomplish is worth applauding. Your answers will also reveal the areas of your life that you find meaningful and that you should continue to value and prioritise in the coming year.
2. What didn’t go so well and what did you learn?
This question provides an opportunity to reflect on the challenges that you faced throughout the year and the ways in which those obstacles were met – sometimes well, but sometimes less effectively. Consider how you dealt with difficulties or setbacks, and whether you would take a different tack in the future. Despite how social media may present the world, no-one’s life is perfect. Acknowledge the difficulties and look ahead (to the next question and the next year).
3. How can you do things differently?
Identify small (or big) things you can do in 2023 to ensure that you are prioritising the facets of your life that are most important to you. List out measurable and achievable changes and commit to making them.
This process will help reframe an otherwise chaotic year. For every success, you should feel proud and give yourself permission to celebrate. For every challenge, you have an opportunity to consider how similar situations can be avoided or better managed in the future.
But the real value of this review is to establish your goals and begin the year on a pathway towards achieving them. For, as Ralph Waldo Emerson observed: “There is no limit to what can be accomplished.”
If you need help articulating your professional goals or if you could benefit from being held accountable, contact me to discuss how coaching could be the change you need to make 2023 the year you achieve your goals.
Emma Dale
emma@prospectresourcing.com
Co-founder & Managing Director, Asia, Prospect
Founder, Transform Executive Coaching
Certified Coach, Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership (IECL)