As the year draws to a close, I’ve been thinking about the key highlights over the past twelve months and what I can learn from them, asking myself these two key questions:
- Did I achieve the goals that I set for myself at the start of the year?
- How did I contribute to my longer-term ambitions?
In life, we set goals and, once we achieve them, immediately move on to the next big thing without pausing to reflect on how far we’ve come or to celebrate our achievements.
The Importance of Reflection
By Investing time in looking back, we begin to understand what worked, what didn’t, and why. This awareness gives us momentum, which we can use to double down on what’s effective and use those insights to guide our goals for the coming year.
Consider asking yourself:
- Am I where I expected to be at the start of the year?
- If not, what obstacles got in the way?
- What can I learn from these obstacles, and what can I do differently moving forward?
Tracking your progress and practicing reflection at least quarterly supports ongoing growth.
Goal setting
Following reflection, it’s also worth exploring goals for the upcoming year so you can start the new year on the right trajectory. Think about where you want to be and ask yourself:
- What will I be saying in twelve months about where I was today?
- How much progress have I made toward my long-term goals?
Structured monthly or even weekly reviews can be powerful. Every Sunday, I sit down and ask myself what worked across all areas of my life, who I have impacted and how, then give myself a score out of ten. I then reflect on the week’s key wins, the barriers I have encountered, what I learned, whether I’ve progressed since the previous review, and what I will do differently in the week ahead.
Both reflection and Goal setting are integral to success. They help you stay focused on short-term priorities while continuing to move steadily toward your long-term vision.
Remember to pause, reflect, and celebrate your wins regularly, even the small ones as they help build momentum.
Wishing you a safe and merry Christmas, and all the very best for 2026.
