The personal year end review

It’s that time of year again. As things start to wind down (and the world goes back into lock down…..), now is a perfect time to take stock of this past year and think ahead to how you want to design your life and work in 2022.

In many of my conversations with CEOs recently, they are finally realizing how tired they were. Real vacations have been replaced by endless Zoom calls as people work from home. It’s time for a real break. As you prepare for that, I encourage you to take some time to look back and plan ahead.

Below are a series of simple questions I go through myself each year. I try and do this in isolation. If you have a second home or place where you can be alone that is ideal. Unplug and take the time to reflect. This gives space for the insights and true desires to bubble up.

Without further ado, here are the questions.

Looking back at 2021

With calendar in hand, what were the highlights of the year?

What did I achieve?

What did I fail to achieve?

What am I most proud of?

What am I happiest about?

What did I learn?

What would I change about myself?

How did I let myself down?

How happy was I? What would make me happier?

What brings me joy?

Am I happy with how I allocate my time and presence across my various roles and responsibilities (ie. CEO, parent, child, etc…)?

What have I achieved already that I just haven’t realized yet? (aka – what goals/ worries can I check off)?

Looking ahead to 2022

What would I like to change about my life?

What do I want more of in my life? Less of? None of?

What is most important to me?

On a blank sheet of paper how would I design my work and life for maximum fulfillment, impact and happiness?

What do I want to prioritize?

How can I make my life simpler?

How can I make my mind clearer?

What are my goals this year? How will I achieve them (action plan)?

What habits do I need to remove?

What habits do I need to add?

What skills do I need to acquire?

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash