Welcome to this continuing series of fresh, engaging approaches of reflecting on past goals and preparing for the year ahead. Let’s face it—some goals fail to ignite our enthusiasm. This method transforms the process, helping you set goals that energize and motivate.
Follow these strategies to make goal-setting a lighter, more rewarding experience, paving the way for meaningful progress.
Here is the prior week’s blog leading to this one, Kick Start your Goal Setting in 2025
For many people, the idea of a Year in Review is skipped entirely—either due to lack of discipline or because it brings up uncomfortable feelings about unmet goals. It's tempting to say, "I didn’t do it, so I’ll just reset next year and start fresh." But in doing so, you miss a valuable opportunity to reflect and grow.
Instead, ask yourself: What did I learn from last year?
Three Buckets of Reflection
Imagine three buckets:
Goal Achieved
Goal Not Achieved
Goal Partially Achieved
Start by listing everything from the past year and placing each item into the appropriate bucket. If you didn’t set explicit goals, that’s okay—just look back on your year. Note the things you accomplished, what you enjoyed, and what didn’t go well. Even the flops hold valuable lessons.
The Power of Feeling Your Emotions
Once your list is ready, it’s time to connect emotionally.
Bucket 1: Goals Achieved
For each goal you achieved, take a moment to vividly recall the experience. Sit in a quiet place and replay what happened. What emotions arise? Joy? Pride? Optimism? Now, go a step further—notice where these emotions live in your body. Do you feel warmth in your chest? A lightness in your shoulders? Sit with these sensations, letting them deepen.
Bucket 2: Goals Partially Achieved
For goals you partially achieved, repeat the same process. Celebrate the progress you made, even if the goal wasn’t fully realized. Resist the urge to critique or judge at this stage. Simply feel what it was like to move forward, even if only partway.
Bucket 3: Goals Not Achieved
Finally, address the goals you didn’t achieve. Reflect on why they might not have worked out—were they forgotten, too challenging, or just poorly timed? This bucket often stirs up unpleasant emotions like disappointment, guilt, or self-doubt. Resist the urge to push these feelings away. Instead, sit with them. Notice their presence in your body, whether as tension, heaviness, or something else entirely.
The Role of Radical Self-Honesty
The key to this exercise is self-honesty. Acknowledge the wins, the losses, and the in-betweens with equal openness. Allow the full range of emotions to surface, giving yourself permission to feel without judgment.
As you sit with these feelings, take note of any internal judgments that arise. These judgments aren’t bad; they’re valuable insights into your mindset. Think of them as a gateway to better self-understanding.
Repeat and Reflect
This exercise works best when repeated over several days. Each time you revisit your reflections, new insights may surface, like bubbles rising to the top. By doing this emotional work—feeling and acknowledging your experiences—you prepare yourself for deeper and more meaningful personal growth. Goals that have a higher chance of succeeding are closely tied to emotions and emotional outcomes.
Generally, I spend 5–7 days on this step before moving to the next phase.
Coming Next: Exploring the "Why"
Next week, we’ll dive into the "why." Why did you achieve some goals? Why did others fall short? And why were some only partially completed?
This foundational work sets the stage for crafting your Year Ahead (2025) with clarity and intention. Stay tuned.
Invitation
Ready to reflect, grow, and craft your best year yet? Join me for personalized coaching on How to Do a Year in Review (That Feels Good). Together, we’ll explore your wins, lessons, and emotions to build a meaningful 2025. Let’s have a radically honest conversation.
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