Have you received a flood of e-mails insisting that you make this year “your year”? Forget your new year’s resolutions – if you haven’t already! Before making (or breaking) arbitrary goals, systematize your approach to the year ahead.
Adapted from Tim Ferriss’s PYR (past year review), here’s a method to try:
- Grab a pen and paper or open a basic text file on your computer and create two sections:
1 – Went well
2 – Could have been better
- Take 30 – 60 minutes to review last year’s calendar week-by-week. Glancing through last year’s financial transactions or photos can also be a good reference.
- In the went well section, note anything that was fun, joyful, interesting, income generating, positive, uplifting, etc.
- List any event or interaction that was stressful, negative or left you feeling less than great in the could have been better section.
This one-page summary may help inform what’s next for you.
As far as the things that didn’t go as well as you hoped, what happened? Is there any way to approach the situation differently in the future?
Is it possible to eliminate it from your life entirely?
In the coming year, leverage what’s already resulted in rewarding experiences.
Repeat the actions that allowed for the positive situations and people to show up in the first place.
Schedule the trips, phone calls, and meetings with the people you desire to spend more time with.
Sign up for the course and pay upfront for services that made a positive impact on your life.
Focus on the services you offered that yielded the most joy and revenue.
Reengage in the behavior or mindset that supported and allowed for the wonderful experiences last year.
“Good intentions might sound nice, but it’s positive actions that matter.”
– Tim Fargo
What went well for you last year? What will you repeat and what will you remove this coming year?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
For a more in-depth system on reflecting before resolving, see Resolutions: Before Acting, Record and Reflect.
Thanks Melanie! I went through this process and it felt very productive. It feels like a concrete way to achieve my life goals – nothing temporary about it. Solid advice!
Hi Alison, So glad to hear that you found this process productive!
in a sea of “make this your best year ever” advice, this seems like one of the more actionable methods and least time-draining. Thanks for the post!
Hi Thea, You are welcome! Yes, it’s an action to review before adding more to the to-do list.