Where to in 2022?
Where to in 2022?
How did you do?
Well, in my last blog, I suggested you start making a list of your accomplishments in 2021 as you begin to think about your goals for 2022. As a reminder, here are some questions I gave you to consider as part of the process.
- 1. What have you accomplished?
- 2. What remains unfinished?
- 3. What did you learn?
- 4. What’s next?
- 5. What areas of growth are you open to exploring?
- 6. What is possible in the year to come?
How has it been going so far? Are you pleased with the progress you have made over the past year? If not, why not? If you accomplished everything on your list for 2021, congratulations on being one of the rare few. If not, what have you learned from the process?
What did you learn?
Perhaps you did not get done everything you wanted because you dreamed a bit too big. Many people planned for a post-pandemic 2021, and things just have not worked out that way. Maybe you were a bit too ambitious or needed to do a little bit more research. Or, like me, you might just be a hyper achiever who overcommitted.
Well, to help you think about what you learned, I thought I would share what I learned. But, first and foremost, give yourself a break and give yourself the gift of empathy. Of course, we need to hold ourselves accountable, but we do not need to feel defeated in the process.
I am saying that without beating yourself up, try and figure out why you missed the mark. Sometimes what we thought was important on New Year’s Eve is just not as crucial by mid-March. Other times you may have just gotten stuck building the plan and holding yourself accountable. Oh, and yes, sometimes we lose motivation because we get frustrated because we are not getting immediate results, and change is hard!
Remember the sage advice of my favorite philosopher and with every mistake, take the time to learn something from the process and move forward.
What’s next?
What is most important to you in the year ahead? Equally important is to consider “Why” these goals are important to you and “What“ resources do I need to be successful? The idea behind the “Why” is to build clarity around the importance of the outcome and be a source of focus and energy to drive you forward when distractions or life get in the way.
The “What” is equally essential because believe it or we can’t always achieve the results we are looking for without the help and support of others. Who can I leverage to grow my network and help me gain the knowledge and experience I need to be successful. What additional tools and resources do I need to be successful? How am I going to hold myself accountable? What support system do I have in place when I get stuck to help me move forward?
Final thoughts
As you may have summarized, my most significant learning in 2021 was to continue to ask myself better questions. When I asked myself better questions, I achieved my most important goals. I also learned that I do not have a monopoly on developing good questions. When things were challenging or too much was going on, I relied on my wife Diane, along with friends and colleagues in the coaching community, to challenge me and hold me accountable. Most importantly, I learned the importance of cutting myself some slack and being more empathetic to myself and others.
I wish you all the best for 2022, and remember, if I can help you or someone you know get off to a good start in the new year, give them or give yourself the gift of coaching. To learn more, please click on the link below. INSERT LINK
Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2022 and beyond.