One of my favorite end-of-year processes is meeting with our clients and taking the time to:
Reflect on what we are doing well together.
Understand where we need to make improvements.
Understand what their goals for the next year are and ensure that our current scope in the contract supports them in achieving those goals. This is a “value-added service” to our contract, and I offer it as a complimentary service to all our clients.
It's also a good practice for each of us to do for ourselves. So, here are a few reminders on how to review your year and create actionable plans to set yourself up for a successful 2025.
Take Stock of 2024
Yes, it may lead to moments of celebration, disappointment, discouragement, satisfaction, and/or determination. Still, truly understanding what the year was for you is incredibly important.
Here are a couple of ways to do this:
If you have goals, review them. Make sure you are being fair by celebrating all the wins while also reflecting on the losses.
If you don’t have goals, take a moment to review your wins and losses.
Make a list of 10 things you’re proud of accomplishing.
Make a list of 10 things you wanted to accomplish but didn’t.
List 10 lessons learned from the process, whether through wins or losses.
Take a moment to relive and think about at least three of your favorite experiences from this year.
Start Planning for 2025
Start thinking about the biggest goal you want to accomplish in 2025. Make it big enough that it challenges you, but is still achievable.
Write it down.
Then, create three subgoals that will help you get there.
Next, break those subgoals down into three actionable steps that you can do either monthly, weekly, or daily.
These actionable steps should be manageable for you—start small and build up.
Here’s an Example:
In 2017, right after I moved to New York, I made a goal of meeting 1,000 people in my first year. Here are the goals I created to make it happen:
Join at least two networking groups that I could consistently attend and engage with.
Attend two networking group events per week.
Have 7-10 one-on-one meetings per week (either in person or virtual).
Connect with everyone I met at any events on LinkedIn during a work block every Friday from 3-5 p.m.
Stay connected by posting once a week on LinkedIn, which I also scheduled during my Friday LinkedIn work block.
Since then, the plan has certainly grown. I am now connected to (and personally know) 4,300 people on LinkedIn, host my own monthly networking event, and co-host a quarterly attorney networking event called It’s Legal (check it out on our Resources Page). I also have my team post six days a week on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, and I send out a newsletter every first Thursday of the month to stay connected with my network.
What Does This Type of Goal-Setting Do?
It creates a way to:
Measure your success.
Help you realize that you may have had a better year than you thought.
Provide step-by-step ways to see how small actions can create big results.
Here’s to celebrating 2024 and making 2025 bigger and better than ever!
What Are My 2025 Goals?
I guess you’ll have to wait to see! 😀
Happy New Year!
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Written by MerriLyn Gibbs
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