By the way, It often doesn’t work.
Maybe because we don’t spend dedicated quality time on this exercise.
“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”
— Stephen R. Covey
What could be more important than preparing for the next year when you think about it?
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
How to prepare your next year?
How you do it is less important than actually doing it.
In Covey’s matrix, it’s an activity that ranks in quadrant 2. Important but not urgent.
So, like many of these activities, we tend to put it off.
But not this year. Choose your way, and get started.
While there are many ways to make it, they all revolve around these principles.
1/Reviewing the previous year: what have I learned
Self-reflection is a prerequisite for growth.
The Stoics were already using it in their time.
My way :
Review my journal entries and my goals from the previous year.
(see : Simple Habits Are Often Powerful. How To Amplify The Benefits Of Journaling?)
2/What I want to do next year: collect all my dreams
We often have more ideas than time.
It’s good to list them to facilitate the decision.
And if you’re short of options, I suggest this simple brainstorming process.
3/Deciding: this might be the most challenging part.
Compare your options.
An interesting project will often last at least a year.
Each quarter, you’ll adjust and focus on a specific part of it.
But a year is still a long time.
My recommendation:
Choose the projects that excite you most on paper.
4/ Getting started: blocking the dates in your diary.
Nothing happens without action.
Many things cannot be predicted in advance, but one thing is certain.
You’ll have plenty of distractions, unforeseen events…
Block time in your diary to work on your projects is the best way.
You’ll feel ready to tackle the New Year when you do a variation of this process.
And does it work?
This exercise has changed my life. And every year, I realize how powerful it is.
Your first step to start?
Block 60 minutes in your agenda to start the process.
You can then adapt.
Good luck…
Dror
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