How To Do Your Personal Annual Review and Get the Most from 2021
2020 was a great year to learn more about yourself. It’s about when and how you reflect on your experiences that will improve your life’s quality and prepare you for the next year. Here are some practices that helped me the most in the past four years to reflect on my experiences.
4 Things You Need To Run Your Annual Review
2×3 hours of uninterrupted time
- Paper, pen, and the printed questions
- A blank desk or a whiteboard
- Journals, diaries, calendars, or other personal data
- People to work with – 2-3 close friends to help you focus
Put Your Dreams into Actionable Goals and Processes
You’ve already mastered the deep work of your annual review. What’s left is a plan that helps you move towards your desired 2021 outcome.
- Don’t skip this step. You’ll miss out on the fun and build momentum towards your goals.
Close On a High Note
Write down your answer to the following questions: How are you feeling right now? How do you feel about 2021?
In Summary
It’s easy to skip your annual review and continue as before. It’s much harder to take six hours, face your feelings, keep your focus, and derive actionable steps.
Questions to Reflect on the People & Relationships in Your Life
For which people in your life are you most grateful?
- Which qualities about relationships do you value most personally and professionally?
- Which person has inspired you the most? How, What person had the biggest negative impact on your life? Why, and How has your relationship with yourself changed over the year?
Part 1: How to Kickstart Your Personal Review
Get into the present moment by meditating or journaling
- Ask yourself what you are most grateful for
- Go through your notes and impressions from the year and make notes
- Answer questions to organize your thoughts and feelings
Questions that Reveal Your Deepest Aspirations
Why do you want to achieve it?
- What happens when you really show up in the world? What are you really longing for? What would a dream year look like for you in 2021? What does success in 2021 mean for you?
Have Clear Goals but Focus On Your Process and Systems
Focus on the processes and systems required to get to your goal.
- How do your goals translate into actionable habits and processes?
- What habits, behaviors, or attitudes will you need to develop or adopt next year?
Questions to Reflect Holistically
How have you lived your life in the past twelve months? What residual feelings do you have about the past year?
- What were your 2020 highlights
- When did you feel your heart most open this year?
- What are you most proud of? Why? What are your 2020 lowlights? What was most challenging for you?
Questions to Reflect on Your Success & Growth
How have you grown and developed last year? What were your three biggest work accomplishments? What contributed to them?
- Are there any other goals apart from the work you achieved that you are proud of? What was the best decision you made? What did you learn from it? What risks did you take, and what were the rewards?