Lay a strong foundation for goal-setting with this year-end review template

Don’t just jump into goal-setting — do this first

Before you jump into goal-setting for next year, you ought to first conduct a year-end review.

At this time of year, many people begin to think about setting goals for the year to come. But they miss an important step: doing a review of the year that they’re just now finishing up. Jumping right into goal-setting is like picking up a map and plotting out your course without bothering to figure out where you are NOW!

Why do a year-end review?

It has several positive benefits that you may have overlooked:

• If you only look back at the New Year’s resolutions that you didn’t keep, it generates negative emotions that can cloud your goal planning
• It allows you to reflect on both your accomplishments and your challenges
• It helps you discern what’s been working and where you need to make changes
• It’s an opportunity to review your values and where you’ve been investing your time
• Looking back at the obstacles you’ve overcome gives you positive momentum that can help you as you turn your attention to setting goals for the coming…