As you gear up for the upcoming year, it's essential to evaluate your behaviours and habits to determine their impact on your 2023 goals and personal growth. Reflecting on my own experiences, I realized I started the year 2023 strong, but the second quarter presented challenges. I deviated from some of my principles, got distracted, and suffered emotional and mental setbacks. In light of this, I will outline three crucial components to assess yourself and prepare for a successful new year.
- Preparation:
i. Assess the time and energy you invested in setting up success in 2023.
ii. Reflect on your planning and prioritization strategies for your routine. How effectively did you manage and organize your tasks?
iii. Consider whether you anticipated potential obstacles. Developing the ability to foresee challenges allows you to proactively adjust and recalibrate your approach.
- Execution:
i. Evaluate your execution of set goals, including the classes attended, books read, and programs participated in. How well did you apply the lessons learned?
ii. Determine if you deliberately practiced the acquired knowledge and if you shared it with others. Teaching is a powerful reinforcement tool for your own learning. For Instance, I learned these three components from the McKinsey Forward Program I'm currently taking.
iii. Cultivate mindfulness regarding the information you consume. Practice continuous learning by adopting the mantra of Learn, Relearn, and Unlearn certain habits and beliefs.
- Reflection:
i. Embrace feedback—both giving and receiving—to gain valuable insights into your actions.
ii. Challenge your assumptions. Making assumptions can be detrimental, so actively seek clarification rather than relying on presumptions.
iii. Allocate time for reflection. Identify and acknowledge mistakes, making a conscious effort to avoid repeating them.
As you embark on the new year, incorporate these three components into your behavioural framework for 2024. This holistic approach to self-assessment provides a solid foundation for learning, growth, and goal achievement. The journey towards personal development involves continuous evaluation and adaptation, and by integrating these practices, you position yourself for a more fulfilling and successful year ahead. I hope these insights add value to your personal and professional endeavours.
Kind Regards,
Olamiji Akeredolu.