By Tim Lawlor
Associate publisher, Ottawa Construction News
I am writing this as I come out of a few weeks of great reflection and introspection as my family’s matriarch (fraternal grandmother) passed away while my father was out of the country and many of the responsibilities fell on my shoulders. (Thank goodness for funeral pre-planning).
So let me ask you this: “Are you an optimist and say YES, 2012 was and the best year of my life and can list off 100 reasons, or are you a pessimist and say well, 2012 would have been better if it wasn’t for this, this and this or if this had happened it could have been better?”
Either way, 2012 has concluded and whether it was a good, bad, okay or fantastic year, the new year is here with its promises of new challenges and opportunities. How you fare in 2013 is solely based on YOU and how you deal with what 2013 brings.
Recently, I discovered this excellent list by Eileen Chadnick of Big Cheese Coaching, a inspiring personal, professional and organizational well-being coach, that would like to share with you.
12 questions for the year past and the year ahead
The year past:
- What went well? Identify the goals you accomplished or advanced towards; and note anything else that went well and is worth highlighting.
- In what ways did you grow and evolve in the ‘evolution of you’? How were you tested or challenged and how did you grow as a result? What new skills, knowledge, ideas and insights (life, work, other) have made you better or different from the beginning of the year?
- What were your favorite moments of 2012? Savoring positive experiences has been proven to be a success strategy for building optimism, resilience and mojo – all essential ingredients to personal and professional well-being!
- What do you need to clean-out or let go of right now from the year past to be ready to start fresh in 2013? Consider both your physical space (your office, your home) as well as your emotional and mental mindsets.
- What and who are you most grateful for right now? Consider the people in your life; the circumstances; the gifts; make this a juicy list!
- If there was a theme for 2012 for you personally, what would it be? i.e. “This was the year of ___.
The year ahead
- What are your goals for 2013? Consider professional goals as well as personal goals. Consider small, medium and BHAG goals (big hair audacious goals).
- What of your strengths and assets will you deliberately use more of in the year ahead to realize your goals? Consider your personal strengths but also your assets such as your network, knowledge, experience and more. Make a plan.
- In what ways will you take care of your personal well-being to maintain or boost your “Mojo” – resilience, energy, inspiration and sense of well-being? Take time to reflect on your physical well-being as well as your mental and emotional well-being. If you were at your peak – what would that look like? What needs to happen to bridge the gap from where you are today to where you want to be? Make a plan.
- In what ways will you take care of your professional well-being to boost or maintain your work-life aspirations and career mojo? What new skills will you acquire or deepen? How will you foster/grow your network? What new challenges will you take on? And what support might you call on to help you achieve your professional goals?
- In what ways will you contribute something to the ‘greater good’ of _____ (choose a community or communities of choice)?
- If the year ahead is to have a personal theme for you, what would that be? i.e. “This will be the year of ____”
Reprinted with permission, www.BigCheese-Coaching.com original content from:http://tgimworklife.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/12-questions-for-the-year-end-and-new-year
Tim Lawlor can be reached by phone at (613) 224-3460 ext 111 or by email at tlawlor@cnrgp.com.
