In Part I of ‘Tis the Season for Asking Powerful Questions, I shared a series of questions I use to assess my learning and growth from the previous year. After getting clear on these discoveries, I put them aside–for I know that what I’m meant to hold onto has been incorporated intellectually, physically, and spiritually—and then I go outline the year ahead. And when I say “outline,” I really mean that I go sit by some body of water, spray a lot of lavender, eat a cupcake (or 2 or 3), close my eyes, and ask the heavens: What’s going to be in the year ahead? How can I get out of my own way so that I can allow the plan for me to unfold? I let whatever comes up, come up…. and then I jot down my musings in a journal. Here is some of what spilled forth during last year’s “outlining” day:

-Laugh more often

-Proudly say I live in Las Vegas

-Publish a book

-Forgive faster

-Get interviewed on TV

-Buy a house

-Make a Greek dessert

Now, clearly not all of these items are of equal importance, nor have they all happened (I still have yet to make that Greek dessert), but 86% of the items on the list have happened and all 5 of my core goals (see below) will be achieved!!!

For the next part of this process, I reflect on my core values list–p. 50-52 in Awaken Your CAREEpreneur–ask the universe, and again listen, for which 5 of the 20ish things that previously came up move me towards better alignment with my core values. These become my goals or priorities for the next year.

I then pull out my planner and identify how on December 31st of the next year I’ll know if I succeeded in having achieved each of my priorities. For many of them are not items to check off a list. Last year, one of my top 5 included: live with more love and courage. (One of my grounds for assessment has been–walk away from conversations feeling I’ve communicated honestly and from a heart-centered place.) This area has been my greatest achievement (as far as I’m concerned this year), and being able to ask myself in situations calling for brave communication–Am I being honest and heart-centered?–has definitely empowered me to be the best version of myself.

Now, after getting clarity on my 5 priorities–which can be focused on any of the life spheres– I work backwards from the next December to January of the coming year listing any targets I feel are necessary to set for myself each month. (For a target to be set, I MUST have quite a bit of control over the outcome. For example, I can say I plan to call ____ people or attend ____ types of events. I’m not going to say I will have landed 3 national commercials or found my dream mate by a particular date. These kinds of goals are manipulative and set us up to fail.) I also plan in time each month to reflect on my progress, do some mini-celebration, and make any necessary tweaks to my priorities or design for living them.

Next, I grab a nice combo of business, home, lifestyle, and travel mags. I spend some time cutting out pictures, quotes, and articles that best represent my top 5 priorities and put them up on a big board that I hang in my office. And finally, I write a letter to myself congratulating Lex for who she’s become over the last year. I find writing this letter to be one of the most powerful visioning practices I engage in. It really creates a bridge from who I’ve been to who I’m aspiring to be…. and also illuminates necessary action steps that when I think in a linear way, I often overlook.

Whether you follow the exact outline proposed in this post, take a few of the exercises/practices that work for you, or follow your own or someone else’s practice, my hope is that you create the time necessary to intentionally close-out one year and make room for the next. And, just as importantly, prioritize goals in your development as a person (and in your roles as a child, parent, professional, leader, community member, etc.) over “stuff.” One of my favorite Marianne Williamson quotes, which I’ll wrap up with, is: “God laughs hardest when you tell Him your plans.”

While those who know me are aware that I am about as self-reflective as a human comes, I concede to even more self-analysis during the holiday season as I try to make sense of what has unfolded over the last year before having an eye towards the year ahead. I take stock of the good, the bad, and the confusing. I assess how many of my goals I got to. But most importantly, I take account of my learning and growth. And if I’m able to walk away saying I have been enough of an observer of my life to have created new beliefs, new habits, and new levels of gratitude as a result of my year’s living…. than by golly, I have had a successful year!

I like to create little lists of lessons I’ve learned…. and never need to learn again…to ensure that whatever gunk I had to wade through in a given year gets archived as useful accoutrement of character building. And in 2010, these top 5 lessons include: Continue Reading »

I’m a big fan of individual and organizational feedback–that which comes from others as well as the self-directed, self-reflective kind. When we give ourselves opportunities to take stock we get clearer on what is working (so we can do more of it) as well as that which isn’t working (so that we can self-correct and do less of it). We also stay connected to our personal power. It’s just so darn easy to believe that we are puppets in our lives being manipulated by forces beyond our control. Engaging in periodic feedback creates the opportunity to learn from what we assess, and use it as the foundation for future action.

One of my favorite forms of assessment is a 360. Typically, this form of feedback is used organizationally and allows employees to anonymously assess a colleague in all areas of performance or leadership. CAREERpreneurs can also administer a 360… on their careers. To do so, we identify an area we want to reflect upon. And then we take a nod from Clint Eastwood.

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