Year-End Reflections & Goal Setting
As we all wrap-up 2023 and head into 2024; it’s a common practice to reflect on the past year and plan for the upcoming one.
I’m a firm believer in taking stock more than once a year, and when it makes sense for you (not just at the beginning and end of a calendar year), but since so many of us are either already doing some reflection or gearing up to, I wanted to share some best practice I use for self-reflection and goals setting.
Reflect on the Past Year
I love to start this process with a look back on the past year. Feel free to use my process in full or adjust to what works best for you. (Or do your own thing- whatever works!)
Start by carving out a least an hour for yourself with no (or at least minimal interruptions). Pick a time where you still have a lot of good mental capacity and emotional space to reflect (maybe not right after a super draining 4 hour meeting).
I like to pick a morning, throw on some music in my home office and go to work.
Start with a blank sheet of paper (electronic or physical- again, you do you) and write down your answers to the following:
What are the highlights from this past year?
What accomplishments am I most proud of?
What didn’t go as planned? Why?
What relationships have meant the most to you this year?
Who has helped you? How have you helped others?
What are the lowlights or the biggest challenges from the last year?
Now when you answer these, resist the urge to pull out your performance review or a goals list- go based on what you think of during this brainstorm.
Next, go ahead and take out your goals or any previous performance or reflection notes and compare what you’ve listed out on each. (If you don’t have anything- that’s okay, got to start somewhere, just skip to the second question below).
Did you leave anything off?
How did your goals and/or priorities change throughout the year?
Now that you’ve reflected on the past, it’s time to jump into planning for next year.
Again- you’ve got to go with what works for you. You can jump right in or take a break and come back to this activity at another time- maybe after having a chance to let your thoughts sink in.
Plan for the Year Ahead
Lot’s of people dive right into goal setting when it comes to looking to the year ahead- that might work for you, but it doesn’t quite work for me. I like to dig a bit deeper and love using my Goal setting brainstorm worksheet. You can download a free fillable copy here — My Downloadable | The Wounded Workforce (teachable.com).
If you want to skip the worksheet- no worries, just look to answer the following questions — and yes, make sure to write them down!
What do I want to be true in one year that isn’t true today?
What do I want to be known for?
If I could learn anything, what would I be most excited to learn?
What work excites me most.
I fill this in as a bulleted list, and it lives on my bulletin board all year. This helps me remember the WHY behind my goals and also understand when that why changes and perhaps the goal needs to too.
Once you complete the brainstorm, I recommend taking a break and coming back to it and using it to set your goals- for the year, quarter or whatever interval you prefer.
And I wouldn’t be a career HR professional without encouraging you to create SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. You can find many great resources on how to set goals in this way.
Self- reflection and goal setting are both powerful tools. Make sure and take time more than once a year for both. I hope these tools are helpful for you!