This month I am sharing my goal-setting process for 2022. In this video, I describe how to assess your last year before embarking on a new adventure in 2022.
Don’t look back??
Some of you are probably thinking that looking back is a waste of time. Isn’t it better to focus on the future? I want to remind you of a famous quote that is found below. If we do not learn from our mistakes we will continue making them over and over again. Doing the same thing again and expecting different results is not a good idea.
My three-step process to assess your last year
There are many ways to assess the year 2021. Here is the three-step process that I use.
- Think big picture about the year.
- Review all of my annual goals.
- Identify my top memories, challenges, and lessons learned for 2021.
Do the work to assess the last year
Now many of you are thinking that this process feels like work – it is. I believe that you should spend some time planning for next year if you want it to be an awesome one. I like the quote by Michael Hyatt found below It is true, although I have to admit that I do spend plenty of time planning our vacations.
A few examples of how to assess your last year
First, I review my big-picture results from last year. Below you will find my top 4 goals for 2021.
- Kim and I wanted to spend more time with my mom after my dad passed away – check.
- Riley wanted to move to Germany and chase his dream of playing soccer – check. He is there right now.
- I wanted to land my first paying customer for my side gig – All The Way Leadership! Check.
- I wanted to visit Riley while he is in Germany. Check, check. I was able to visit him twice last year.
Overall, 2021 was a good year for me, despite all the challenges. I hope your year was good too.
Next step – assess my annual goals
I review each goal to determine if I achieved it, or not. Nothing fancy – a check if yes. An X if no. Some of you may not have annual goals from 2021. No big deal – use an assessment tool instead. I recommend using Michael Hyatt’s life score. It is super simple – ten questions and you are done. You get an insightful data set that shows you how you did. My scores from last year are below. I use this data as input for thinking about what goals I want to set for 2022.
The final step – identify my top memories, challenges, and lessons learned
I do this each year and post the results on Facebook. It is an easy way to create a digital archive. The memories on Facebook remind me of what happened over the years so that I don’t forget. My top two memories are below.
- Honeymoon with Kim in Jamaica – we spent some extra money to splurge on an over-the-water bungalow. Great time. Lesson learned – splurge on special occasions.
- Laying my father to rest in Arlington National Cemetery – it was a tough and meaningful day for my family. Lesson learned – it is hard to say goodbye to loved ones. Miss you dad.
What is the key takeaway? Assess your last year.
Look back before you move forward in 2022. I believe the work is worth the effort and will help make 2022 a better year than 2021. Caution – do not invest too much time when you assess last year. You should spend the majority of your time looking forward, planning for the future, not obsessing about what happened last year. I hope 2022 is an awesome one for you and your family.
I am Doug Keating and this is my letter to sons.