A Review and Reset to Start Your Year
A new year is upon us. Are you imagining one of promise and opportunities? Of change? Of better things? Or are you facing the year with doubts and maybe even a degree of fear?
Take heart. Today’s post will help you set your feet on solid ground and design a year that will excite you and give you direction toward your desires.
I’m going to lead you through a review and reset. This exercise contains questions I’m sure very few of you have ever asked about yourself. I did my first in December 2024. Last month I reviewed 2025 and then used the information to create my 2026 plan and goals.
You’re probably wondering, What’s a review and reset?
It’s reviewing items from the previous 12 months and resetting your direction for the next 12. While ideally this should be done in December, it’s not too late to do it. It may give you a clearer—or possibly a new direction for the goals you have already set.
Get some paper and pencil or your journal and set aside 30 minutes or so to go through the questions.
6 Questions
These questions come from Steph Tuss of Life Is Now, Inc.
- Looking back over the past 12 months, make a list of your wins, both personal and business. Don’t hold back…list as many as you can. (Big and little!)
- Looking back over the past 12 months, what were your weaknesses. Your weaknesses should be a combination of personal weaknesses and business weaknesses. Don’t hold back…list as many as you can!
- Looking back over the past 12 months, what were the biggest lessons you learned? Your lessons should be a combination of personal lessons and business lessons. Don’t hold back…list as many as you can!
- Looking at your list of weaknesses, which weaknesses will you delegate in 2026?
(These are weaknesses that must be addressed, but not by you directly, to achieve your vision.)
Which weaknesses will you turn into a strength in 2026?
(These are weaknesses that you must turn into a strength to achieve your vision.)
Which weaknesses will you walk away from in 2026?
(These are weaknesses that no one needs to address or strengthen to achieve your vision) - If we are sitting here in December of 2026, and I asked you to list your wins for the year, what would you like to see on that list? Remember, this should be a combination of both personal wins and business wins. Don’t think about how you’ve done it… just list what you would like to see on your list!
- Looking at your list of wins, are all of your wins in alignment with your vision?
What’s that you say? You don’t know what your vision is? Then you have a place to start—ask yourself what do you really want to do, be, or have. Do not limit yourself to what you think you can do, or what you think others expect you to do. Dig down deep into your soul and find that desire that’s never died but has been pushed aside for something more practical and sensible. Do not let “how am I going to do that?” enter into this. For more guidance, listen to my podcast episode “How to Discover God’s Purpose for Your Life.”
Now What?
Once you know what you really want, then build your vision from there and align your wins in accordance with that vision.
I’d like to add one more question to that list.
- Ask yourself, who do I need to become in order to achieve those goals?
Some of the items in my list are:
- More confidence in myself
- More skillful in my craft as a writer
- More knowledgeable as a coach
All these things are going to give you direction for the coming year.
Now take that information and create your goals for 2026, then plan the steps necessary to get there.
A word of warning: Don’t give yourself too many goals! Your subconscious doesn’t like change and will work to stop you. If you have too many, you’ll overwhelm yourself and more than likely fail at them all.
Give yourself a stronger start to the year by doing this exercise. You’ll see that you are accomplishing things but also where you need to improve and what you need to let go of. Best yet, you’ll be heading in the direction you truly want rather than a down a path that brings you no joy or happiness.