A Planning Playbook - 3 Steps to Start the New Year Strong
'Tis the season. Yes, it is that time of year when everyone begins to talk about goals and planning for the year ahead. Funny how everyone aligns on the idea that the end of the year or the pending change of the calendar sets everyone in motion when it’s really something that can be done at any time. I’ve always said that the calendar is arbitrary for planning or goal setting. You can establish any point as a place to begin something new or retire something you no longer want to do. But here we are, and I’ll take advantage of this time frame and also jump into the fray of planning and goal setting.
In the next few articles, I will share the different components I am looking at for the year ahead. While I believe that goals, habits, or new planning routines can begin at any point, the fresh year is a good place to start anew on many things. In the coming weeks, I am going to share how I am looking at my technology stack of applications and devices work together to help me remain productive and on track. With so many changes to my world over the course of this year, I have changed a few things up and will be looking to make some additional shifts in the year ahead.
Take this step right now — mark your calendar
At this stage of the year, what I would recommend for anyone reading this is to start planning the time for the next few weeks. It will be the end of December before we know it. And with holiday activities now ramping up, time is an even more precious commodity. Get your times and dates on the calendar so you don’t find yourself scrambling or short-changing yourself at the end of the month.
What should I plan for?
As part of your preparations for the year ahead, you’ll need to set aside time for the following activities.
Plan a year in review session — Schedule time for yourself to look back at the year and reflect on how things went. Capture the high points and low points and really understand what happened and why. This should be a fun activity, and ensure you celebrate the wins again. Too often (and I am 100% guilty of this) we just nod at the things that worked out, and move on. We don’t take time to savor those winning moments again. And we should. This is not about just jumping into what you want to change because something went wrong. This is a positive reflection session for you, not a rehashing of the holes you stepped in.
What do you want next year — Capture the outcomes you want to see when you are doing this exercise a year from now. Write down how you’ll feel, what things will look like, and what it will mean for you. I know I am looking forward to this, perhaps more than ever, since this year, I started a new company, have been doing my own thing, and anything I look ahead to would be fully in my control. I realize not everything can see that for themselves, but I also believe if you find yourself curbing your thoughts due to lack of (perceived) control, you may want to challenge yourself on what you really can do.
What steps do you need to take — The final piece to this exercise is asking, “What would need to be true in order to achieve those outcomes?” I love this perspective on planning and thinking ahead. Michael Hyatt turned me onto this idea many years ago, and I use it frequently in both my personal and any business planning process. It is a great framework to think about the roadmap to success.
I have written several times on end of the year planning and looking ahead. This is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself to set up for an intentional year. It is a perfect opportunity to practice planning and looking ahead. Then, remember, you don’t have to limit yourself to only doing this to end/begin a new year. You can do this any time. You can update your goals at any time. These are your routines, aspirations, and successes, so you do you. But, since it's the season to plan and set goals, jump on and then run with it from there.
Have you scheduled your review and planning session on the calendar?
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