RESOLUTIONS, REFLECTION, AND FRAMEWORK TO REFOCUS
If I have not already had a chance to wish you a very Happy New Year....” HAPPY NEW YEAR.” I hope you, and all those you love, enjoy a healthy and happy 2024, full of great experiences and growth.
Typically, this is the season for resolutions. Do you make New Year’s resolutions?
If you do, and they work for you, CONGRATULATIONS. According to Time Magazine, 80% of resolutions fail. In another article I found from Ohio State (sorry Michigan fans), 91% of resolutions fail, with 23% of people quitting their resolution after the first week, and 43% quitting by the end of January.
Personally, I like to measure growth, and how far I travel, without getting stuck on a magical goal at the top of the mountain. As Adam Grant asks in his latest book, Hidden Potential, how proud would your old self, from five years ago, be of you today? Change is messy, and you will undoubtedly stumble. Looking back over how far you have traveled and grown can produce a powerful tailwind to keep you moving forward.
Personally, I like to pause for some reflection at the end of the year. Here are some questions I ask:
- What are the 1-3 most significant things I learned last year?
- What were my most significant accomplishments last year?
- What were my most significant disappointments of 2023?
- What am I most passionate about right now?
Following that reflection, I answer the same questions with a forward focus.
- What do I want to learn in 2024?
- What is the most significant thing I can accomplish next year?
Regarding the disappointment, I try to do what we do at EDSI and perform a “Premortem.” We know how people conduct Postmortems. It is an after-action review to determine how and why something went wrong. Why did someone pass away? Why did the project fail? The Premortem tries to anticipate potential potholes and makes plans to avoid or minimize them. At EDSI, we would ask, if this is our plan, what would it look like if we failed miserably? How can we plan to avoid that outcome?
- What are you worried about?
- How can you put your worry to work?
I also review my personal Painted Picture. Hopefully, you have all had a chance to watch our EDSI Painted Picture on the homepage of our website. I also write a three-year personal vision story that becomes my personal Painted Picture. Just as we do strategic thinking to review our EDSI Painted Picture, I also review my personal version. Am I still on the right path? What has been accomplished thus far? What progress would I like to make next year?
Again, if you make resolutions, and they work for you, that is fantastic. I hope you experience great growth and progress toward what is most important to you next year. If you do not make resolutions, maybe some of what I shared could be helpful. Most importantly, I hope you enjoy great health and experience lots of happy moments throughout the year.
Please take great care of yourselves and others. Please also let me know if there is anything else that I can do to support you.
Very sincerely, Kevin