Hello and welcome back to the podcast. It's my birthday today, January 4th. If you're listening on the day this episode releases, it's my birthday! I absolutely love this time of the year. It's filled with possibilities, and I enjoy setting ambitious goals for myself. But today, I want to talk about the importance of reflecting on the past year before forging ahead. I'll share how reflection can help us create a balanced approach to our goals, health, and life, setting us up for a fantastic new year.
Reflection is a powerful tool. There's a study that shows how dedicating just five minutes at the end of the day to reflect on what we've learned and how our day went can significantly improve our performance over time. It's incredible, right? Reflecting on our experiences can lead to better decision-making and goal achievement. I must admit, though, I'm better at setting goals and planning than at reflection. But I've seen this pattern with many of my clients too. When we don't take the time to reflect, we tend to downplay our accomplishments.
For instance, in my work with weight loss clients, they often focus solely on the number on the scale and might overlook all the progress they've made in terms of their mindset and habits. It's crucial to take stock of our achievements, not just the numerical ones. Maybe you've started making healthier choices, increased your daily steps, or found more patience in your life. These accomplishments matter, and we should acknowledge them.
What helped me a lot last year was choosing a focus word. I can't remember where I first heard about this concept, probably on a podcast, but I found it intriguing and decided to give it a go. Choosing a word is like setting the GPS for your year. By aligning it with our core values, we can make decisions more easily throughout the year. Of course, we can't plan every detail for the entire year (wouldn't that be amazing?). But by setting this foundational focus, we can navigate our journey more effectively.
So, what's a focus word? It's a single word that guides us throughout the year. For example, last year, I chose "Balance." In 2022, I had lost a lot of weight, but I felt out of balance due to the demands of my growing business. So, my focus was on finding balance between my health and business. This year, I'm leaning towards "Balance" again, but "Progress" is also catching my attention. I'm toying with the idea of having one overarching word for the year and different focus words for each quarter—a 90-day plan to keep things fresh.
Now, consider your core values. Knowing them is crucial for effective time management, setting priorities, and creating boundaries. Some core values could include integrity, love, respect, accountability, or courage. By integrating these values with your focus word, you can craft meaningful goals. For instance, if your focus word is "Health" and one of your core values is "Persistence," you might set a goal to exercise consistently three times a week, regardless of immediate results.
Here's another example: if "Balance" is your focus word and "Family" is a core value, you could ensure you allocate protected time for your family in your schedule. Similarly, if "Growth" is your focus word and "Innovation" is a core value, you might aim to come up with three new ideas each week.
Reflecting on our achievements, choosing a focus word, and aligning it with our core values can help us set powerful goals for the year ahead. We tend to overestimate what we can achieve in the short term but underestimate our long-term potential. So, take a moment to reflect and set the stage for a fantastic 2024. I'd love to hear what your focus word for the year is, as it might inspire others. It certainly helped me stay on track last year. Here's to setting a powerful plan for 2024, and I look forward to talking to you next time.