2023 is winding down quickly and it’s time to start thinking about 2024.
I love helping goal-setters achieve the things that they never imagined possible. Which is why over these next four weeks, I’m going to help you get ready for an amazing 2024 so when January comes around you are ready to FLY, my friends.
Over these next four weeks, I’ll take you through four action steps that will help you set the BEST goals for yourself.Â
One Year From Now
Look ahead to one year from now. Actually imagine yourself and your life exactly 12 months from today.
Do you want to still be in the exact same place?
If you don't, it's important that you set goals that stretch you and move you forward instead of those that are easy and boring.
But before we talk about setting those new goals, we are going to begin with an activity that a lot of people miss or skip altogether – reflection
The Reflection Connection
Reflection is an important place to begin when you set goals because it gives you an honest starting point for moving forward.
Reflecting raises our awareness about what worked and what didn’t work and it helps connect your past to your future.
It's important to remember that the purpose of reflection is not to JUDGE.
We are just gathering data here.
Your brain is going to want to point out everything that you did wrong, didn't finish, or forgot. It is all just data. Do not allow shame to play along.
Reflection Questions
Grab your journal or a notebook, make yourself something cozy and warm to drink, and answer the following questions as honestly as you can:
What were your goals for the year? You may want to include goals from the various life domains including Personal, professional, health, social, financial, spiritual, and hobbies. (Can't remember what your goals were for this year? Goal Awareness may be a skill to remember for 2024.)
What happened with each of those goals? Be honest and write it all down. It's just data, remember?
What do you want to celebrate from the year? What are you proud of? There is always something to celebrate. Let's get the party started!
What didn’t go as planned? Why or why not? What obstacles did you encounter? The journey is never as smooth as planned.
What did you learn about yourself as you worked through your goals this past year? Maybe you discovered that you are an excellent chef or you are horrible at teaching your kids to drive. Write it down.
Were there places where you could have given yourself more grace? When could you have been kinder to yourself?
Do you see places where you could have worked harder? Be honest.
Did your priorities change? Because we and the world are constantly changing, it's quite possible that new priorities emerged as the year went on. What are they and how did they come about?
What unexpected opportunities arose and where did they lead?
How did you surprise yourself? Did you do something, react to something, or handle something in a way that you weren't expecting?
What new knowledge or skills did you obtain? Did you learn a new language? Get a new certification? Learn how to knit? Start art journaling?
What lessons did you learn? There is always something to take away if you look for it!
What limiting beliefs kept you from growing? I’m not ready, I don’t know what to do, I’m not good enough, I don't have enough money/time/resources, etc. are all common limiting beliefs. (Remember, we ALL have limiting beliefs.)
Looking back is an important part of getting ready to move forward, but don’t forget – the rearview mirror is MUCH smaller in a car than the windshield.
That’s because once we see what is behind us, we need to start looking forward.
Which is what we will do next week when I talk about Dreaming Bigger for yourself in 2024. Be sure to come back or follow along so you don't miss it!
Jen Laffin is an Accountability & Success Mentor for people who want to meet their goals, a master teacher, host of The Flight School Podcast, a possible thinker, and a recovering procrastinator. She helps goal-SETTERS become goal-GETTERS. To learn more, visit www.jenlaffin.com, or find Jen on Linkedin.