Another year, one unlike any other, is coming to an end. Nobody could have predicted the type of year COVID-19 created, nor could anyone have prepped for it. However, it’s always a great practice to reflect on your accomplishments of the year, no matter how big or small, and then set your eyes on the coming year by setting goals. Before you say good riddance to 2020, sit down and take stock of all you were able to do, and then get set for 2021:
Write down your accomplishments. Think back to the beginning of the year and go through every month. Tap into your work or personal calendar if you need to and write down everything you achieved — big and small. Anything goes! Maybe you learned a new skill due to the remote working environment. Or, maybe you reconnected with an old friend. Did you have a breakout year at work? Help a student through a difficult time? If it made you proud, happy or feel accomplished, consider it a star on your chart and write it down!
Reflect on your wins. After you have written down all of your wins for the year, reflect on the mindset you had during that time. Were you motivated by something or someone? Did you change your routine or create a new habit? Or maybe you learned a new skill that contributed to your success. Jot these notes down next to your accomplishments to remind yourself how you accomplished those particular wins.
Tweak, tinker and try. If your list of accomplishments feels short, please don’t feel disappointed. Just getting through this year was huge! However, if you are looking to make an improvement for next year, consider what you could have done differently, write it down and then think about how you can apply that change in 2021. It could be as simple as getting up 30 minutes earlier to go for a walk. Or maybe it’s turning off electronics by 6 pm so you can spend more time with your family. There’s always room for improvement — now is the time to make a change.
Set goals for 2021. Now that you’ve seen what you accomplished in 2020, reflected on your mindset and motivation and have identified ways in which you could do things differently to achieve more, think about what you want to do in 2021. Use this year’s accomplishments as building blocks or stepping stones to create your next set of wins. Consider all areas of your life — personal, professional, family, spiritual. You can start small and build upon them as the year goes on. If you write down your goals in vivid detail, you are 1.2-1.4 times more likely to reach them. So, set yourself up for success in 2021 starting now!
Whether you have a short list or a long list, one win we can all add is surviving 2020. Take some time to reflect on this year’s journey and then reset for 2021. Need a little help setting your 2021 goals? Watch “CORE Habits” and see how you can improve upon your daily living to achieve your goals.
