Productivity Coach’s Corner: Look Back to Launch Forward

Ask three questions about last year’s goals and gain perspective on the goals you’re planning for next year.

 Time flies when you’re having fun. A new beginning is exciting and energizing. No matter how you look at it, another year is about to start. Want to make it even better? Look back and ask yourself some new questions to gain valuable insights. Ring in the new year with renewed energy, focus, and purpose.

Get ready for what’s coming at you—in life and at work. Ask three questions about last year’s goals and gain perspective on the goals you’re planning for next year:

  1. WHY did I do what I did? Pick five goals you achieved. For each, clarify the “why” behind the what. Describe in detail your motive for action; that is, “What was the purpose of you achieving each?”
  2. WHO was there for me? Identify at least five people who helped you this year. Write a letter to each of them letting them know the part they played in your success over the last year.
  3. WHAT am I most proud of? Last year, you got things done; there’s no debate there. But, of all the projects you completed and events you attended, write a few paragraphs about the five of them you know you’ll talk about years from now. The end of the year is more than just a time to look forward and make resolutions. It’s a time you can use to reflect, to review your accomplishments, and to prepare for the year ahead.
Dr. Jason Womack
Dr. Jason “JW” Womack is a strategist and executive coach who advises leadership teams operating in complex, high-consequence environments. He works inside organizations to strengthen the conditions that determine performance. How leaders interpret signals. How standards translate into behavior. How decisions align across functions and time horizons. Drawing from psychology, sociology, and systems theory, Womack focuses on the structural dynamics that shape coherence, accountability, and sustained execution. He is the author of multiple books on leadership and performance, available at: https://www.amazon.com/Jason-W.-Womack/e/B005N3257A