Did you know that your memory of an experience, even an entire year, is primarily based on how you felt at its peak and end? This phenomenon is called the
Not only does an end-of-the-year check-in help you uncover insights about the previous year, but it also helps you set better goals for the year ahead. It can also help you become more self-aware.
By listing out what you’ve accomplished, what you hope to accomplish, and how you’ll get there, you are putting your career into perspective and giving yourself the chance to flourish.
Read on to learn how to set yourself up for success in 2022:
Take inventory
More often than not, people don’t realize how much they learn in a given year. They keep moving from project to project and rarely take the time to reflect. Taking inventory is your opportunity to reflect on and document your performance, as well as to prepare for future growth and opportunity at your accounting firm.
As an accountant, no one knows what you do on a daily basis better than you.
What went well?
One mistake people make when doing a self-review is only focusing on what they want to improve, instead of also celebrating their accomplishments. Your accomplishments are one of the most beneficial sections to include in your self-review. When you reflect on your successes, you foster confidence in your skills and your ability to handle future obstacles.
Start your annual self-review by exploring what went well over the past year. Write down one specific success for each month. Then write down high-level successes or events that you accomplished over the course of the year. They can be related to anything, including professional and personal growth, learning, health, and relationships.
When answering these questions and thinking about goals for the new year, make sure you have a way to measure your progress by using goals that are SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
Not so well?
Ask yourself what effect your mistakes had on the rest of your year. Were there unexpected consequences? How did you learn from them? And how can you prevent them from happening in the future?
What did you learn?
What did you learn in the last year, both good and bad? Can you use what you’ve learned to set smarter goals for 2021? When you look at the above sections and questions, you should see common themes.
What made you feel accomplished? Did it take you away from other areas of your life? Sometimes the best lesson learned is the value of work-life harmony. Try to write at least five lessons (both good and bad) you’ve learned over the past year. With each, include a short description, context, and how you want to apply them moving forward.
Themes & goals for the new year?
Did you set a theme at the beginning of the year? If so, did you follow through with that theme? If you didn’t set a specific theme, what were some smaller, unintentional themes you found?
Is your year going to be a year of creativity or personal development? Maybe you want to focus on your career while sacrificing some personal time. Try to find a single theme that brings together all your accomplishments and lessons learned for the year ahead. You can use this as a lens to choose your priorities in the coming year.
Don’t forget that self-reflection doesn’t have to be limited to just the end of the year. You can check in any time of the year. By taking a few minutes (or hopefully more) to reflect on your successes and misses, you can help reframe 2021 as a positive experience you can take with you into 2022.
