Reflect, Review and Plan

In my latest edition of Biz Bits, I talk about a simple exercise that has helped me to become more successful in my business and to live a more meaningful life.

Here's what I do:

I find a place where I can be still and quiet, reflect upon the year that has just passed, and take stock of the valuable lessons I learned. I write down the obstacles I overcame, what I accomplished, and what I celebrated. I look not only at my business, but my personal life as well.

I’ve discovered that taking just a single day away from the hustle and bustle of my regular routine to do this exercise makes it easy for me to identify what I need to do in the future, both to advance my personal success and to make sure that my life is in tune with the things I value most. With these reflections clearly in mind, I set my intentions (not resolutions, mind you) for the coming year.

This holiday season, I encourage you to set aside some time to review 2009 and create the best 2010 you can imagine. Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself to help you on this journey:

Write down the answers to the following questions:

What were my successes?
What did I accomplish?
What did I accomplish that I am most proud of?
What experiences touched me the most?
When did I have the most fun?
What experiences were the most powerful?
What were my major breakthroughs of the year?
What major obstacles did I overcome?
What mistakes did I make?
What lessons did I learn?

Next, create 2010 with these intentions in mind:

For my body/soul/spirit?
My relationships?
My home environment?
My work/service?
My finances?
My growth/development?
My fun, adventure, expression?
In which areas of my life do I plan to move forward in 2010?
What challenges do I intend to overcome?
What specific goals do I intend to achieve in 2010?
If you take the time to pause, review where you’ve been and set intentions to where you are going, you’ll find that both your life and your business will be richer and more fulfilling.

If you’re in Southern California, I invite you to join me for a one-day life-focusing retreat where we’ll address these questions and many more in a supportive group environment. For more information, click here.

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Peleg Top is the co-founder of Marketing Mentor and works with creative agency owners in helping them grow their business, become more profitable and live a balanced life. Biz Bits, his free monthly business tips, will add a dose of inspiration to your business growth efforts. Sign up to get Biz Bits delivered to your inbox today.

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Comments

[Chad Jarae]

Great advise! I have done a mini version of this once a month for the past year to help clarify my goals and direction, but I love the idea of digesting the year and preparing for 2010. I am new to the site but I can tell already I will be spending a lot of time with all of you. Thanks and Happy Holidays!

[TurtleBlueBird]

I read your post and - while I loved the spirit of your suggestions - I realized it all made me feel behind the 8-ball already as ... with the year coming quickly to a close ... I am not completely confident that I can remember enough about 2009 to answer the questions you pose!

(Of course, I can recall a few of the highlights. But, at this stage of the game, the ones that actually resonate might not be the best examples of the categories you mention. A lot just gets forgotten in the space of a whole year. Too much, manybe!)

Your list seemed daunting, and, you know, taking a day off to do the exercise seemed like I'd end up having a day off and not coming away with many answers to your very good questions.

Then an idea occurred to me - I'm printing your post out and I'm scheduling a bit of time every Friday during the year to go over it and make notes in real time. That way, I can capture things as they happen. I don't have to try to force-remember everything in December 2010. And I will be nicely positioned to move forward into 2011.

So, thank you! It went from being something I would never do to something I'm looking forward to doing, all with just a little bit of a time warp/perspective jump.

[TurtleBlueBird]

P.S. I love your idea of calling them "Intentions." So much better than goals or resolutions. Thanks for that!