By Cliff Harmon
Faculty Member, School of Business at American Public University
As 2015 winds down to an end, it is a good time to look at the past year and identify areas where we improved and areas that did not get the intended attention. A great tool for this reflection is the three Rs—Revisit, Reevaluate, and Readjust.
Revisit
Revisit those New Year’s resolutions that you made in January. Get that list out (a list makes us more effective at goals) and take a look. Did you lose that weight? Take some professional development courses? Finish your degree or really work on your relationships?
Although it can be painful to realize that you have not been as focused and successful as you would have liked, by looking at the past, you can better plan for the future and move to the next step: reevaluate.
[Related: Where Will Your Goal Take You Today?]
Reevaluate
Take a look the goals that you met last year. Why do you think you accomplished these versus some of the others?
Hard goals are hard to meet; sometimes you have to start with the ones that are easiest and move on to the harder ones. Accomplishing some of your smaller goals will give you the confidence, motivation, and inspiration to keep moving forward and working on the not-so- easy ones.
As you reevaluate your goals from last year, make sure that they were realistic reflected what you really wanted to accomplish. You may decide that you don’t have time for a new endeavor or that staying in your current job and trying to move up is not what you actually want to happen. Maybe school or a career change may be the best thing at this point.
Readjust
Once you have revisited and reevaluated last year’s goals, you can readjust to be successful next year. Change your goals as needed before January arrives. Many schools and career development programs are now filling slots that students have vacated. These present a great opportunity to get registered for a fresh January start.
Also, many businesses are working on their budgets for the next year and are creating positions and looking for new hires. If getting in shape was one of your goals, some gyms offer end-of-year holiday specials.
[Related: How to Make Your Career Future-Proof]
Now is a great time to look back and start preparing for the next year. Santayana famously said, “Those who can’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Let’s make this coming year a breakout period!
About the Author: Cliff Harmon is a full time faculty at American Public University and has been teaching for six years. He has an MA in Human Resources and Management from Webster University, St Louis, Missouri, and his undergraduate is in Adult Education from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. He currently resides in St Louis with his wife of 28 years. They have three children, one is married and is a nurse, and the other two are currently in college. They are in the process of restoring an 1897 Victorian home.
Comments are closed.