For many years I have reflected on four key questions at the end of each year. Recently I was sharing these questions with a client, and she mentioned that she was always fascinated by other people’s reflections—and challenged me to share mine online. So, after a day of reflection and goal setting, here are my year end thoughts on four big questions.
1. What am I most grateful for?
Let’s face it, 2021 was tough for most of us in one way or another. However, even the toughest of years bring moments of joy or reason for celebration.
From a personal perspective, I am most grateful for getting off the boat and moving back onto land. While living aboard was an awesome adventure and I am glad we did it, it’s nice to have a home-base again. We are still getting used to the endless mowing and backyard maintenance, but I’m grateful for a husband who likes to mow (or at least pretends he likes to mow for my benefit!)
From a professional perspective, this time last year I was about to jump back into business and I wasn’t really sure what that would look like. I’m grateful to Vanessa Davey (Vanessa Davey Consulting) and Carly Shorter (People Realm) for letting me live and learn beside them all year. I’m grateful for the abundance of clients that fell in my lap, and I’m especially grateful for John and Lorraine Miller (Foot Mechanics) who reminded me that growing a company was a great way to make a difference in the world. I’ve worked with some truly inspirational leaders over the years and John and Lorraine easily make that cut.
2. What was my biggest win for the year?
I didn’t set many lofty goals in 2021, so it’s difficult for me to look back and call them wins. (How’s that for a reflection in itself?!)
Personally, I made a cheesecake from scratch, managed to do rose-style piping on some cupcakes, and perfected making a Pina Colada Milkshake. Yes, they were all goals—and yes, they were all related to food!
Professionally, I achieved every target I set—which tells me I might have set the bar a little low. I was treating 2021 as a warm-up round to being back in business, so I guess the win is that I’ve warmed-back-up. 2022 is going to be a big year.
3. What was my biggest learning for the year?
Personally, I’ve learned that you never stop being a parent and that when you have grandchildren, every feeling you experience as a parent is multiplied. Now, not only do I worry about our kids—I worry about our grandkids too. I’ve realised I worry about them a lot!
Professionally, I’ve learned that goal setting really is important if you want to accomplish big things. I’ve also learned that it’s okay to have years where you don’t accomplish much. I am learning that somewhere in the middle is a happy medium that allows me to be both driven and rested.
4. What is my biggest goal for 2022?
When I was 23, I wrote a list of 176 things I wanted to achieve in my life. Over the years I have managed to tick off almost everything on the original list. (I still haven’t completed a marathon and I still wonder why I put it there.) Every year I cross off the goals I have achieved and add a few new ones to the list.
One goal that has been on the list for a long time is to learn how to confidently ride a horse—so on the personal front, I’m going to give that a crack. I’m also going to make a pavlova from scratch.
Professionally, my goal for 2022 is to support 1000 leaders to have an aha moment that changes the way they work. Given that I mostly work with leaders one-on-one or in small groups—and I usually work with them over extended periods of time—I’ll be getting creative with how we leverage Real Team content and delivery. If you know of a conference that needs a speaker on anything leadership related, OR you know of a leader who is ready to grow—let me know! I’d love for them to be one of the thousand.
What are your year end reflections? What is your biggest goal for 2022?