Do this before you set goals

Before you start setting goals for next year, do these 3 things:Ask, “what went right?” and figure out why.Consider the systems you used, the processes you employed, the campaigns you ran, the products you introduced, etc., and probe them to determine how to harness the success you enjoyed, carry it into the new year, and apply it to new initiatives.Ask, “what went wrong?” and figure out why.Consider the same things listed above and determine how to avoid the pitfalls you experienced. Could a few tweaks turn failure into success or are there things that just need to be scrapped? What can these missteps teach you about how to approach your goals in the coming year?Make a list of things you got done this year.It is so easy to lose track of all the things you actually completed this year and whether you spent your time effectively. This is a powerful reminder of everything you got done while you (likely) felt like you were treading water and a challenge to allocate your time wisely.  Rewind the calendar to January and walk back through the year creating a list of completions.Hired a new bookkeeper, attended XYZ conference and met a new vendor, had the lobby painted, documented 26 processes, delegated [important process] to an employee. Celebrate all the things you actually accomplished, and consider what this list reveals about how you allocated your time. Setting new goals is much more effective when you account for the things that helped you succeed, the obstacles that slowed you down, and celebrate as many victories as you can conjure, because doing so helps you apply what you’ve learned in the past 12 months to the things you are trying to accomplish in the coming year.If you can repeat the behaviors that worked, renegotiate or cancel the behaviors that didn’t, and apply your time, energy, and focus to the things that matter most to you and your business…the coming year is going to be absolutely amazing.