How was this year for you?
Are you thinking, “Where has this year gone?” I think we all say that every year around this time.
I hope it’s been a great year for you! If it hasn’t been the best, then don’t worry. You can start today to make sure 2013 is your best year yet by doing your annual review.
Last year I wrote a post to help you do an annual review, and it was one of my most popular posts.
At the end of this post, I’ll share with you the worksheet so you can do yours.
Why should you do an annual review?
Doing an annual review is like going to the doctor, optometrist, or dentist. I go to find out if everything is okay and stop any problems before they get out of control.
An annual review can do the same for you.
You need to know what worked and what didn’t work this year. You need to make sure you’re doing more the right things. You also need to figure out what held you back or slowed you down, so can do less of that or find a way to improve.
Don’t like the results you got this year? Do an annual review to find out what thoughts, behaviors and actions were holding you back.
Ask yourself
- What went well this year?
- What didn’t go well this year?
This is a great place to start. If you need help jogging your memory, take a look at old photos, blog posts, a journal, your Instagram feed, Facebook status updates, or anything that will help you remember this past year.
Think about what successes you had. It could be small or big. It’s very easy to forget about those, but it’s important to remember the wins so we can see how much we’ve grown this year.
Your Year in Review Worksheet
I’ve created a free worksheet that has questions to help you review your year and plan for the next.
Download it, print it out and find a quiet time to complete it. Don’t rush through it. These questions will really make you think. Be honest with your answers. These are just for yourself.
Don’t have too many accomplishments to write down? Then next year make sure you consciously do more. It could be because you’re in your comfort zone too much. Find areas in your life you want to improve and set goals that’ll make you happy if you achieved it.
If you’ve never done a year in review, try it this year. You’ll learn more about yourself. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Don’t just fill this out and put it away. I encourage you to put it in a place where you can access it and refer back to it throughout the year. Because you need to remember the parts of your life you said you needed to eliminate or improve.
Download the worksheet now (right click to save)
I really want this to get in as many hands as possible, because I really believe in its effectiveness. Please share it on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or e-mail it to someone.
Next week, I’ll share my annual review with you.
Finally let me ask:
-How was your 2012?
-What went well for you and what didn’t in 2012?
Thanks for creating this worksheet, Benny! I’ll definitely review my 2012 while I’m spending peaceful time with loved ones this week.
Much success to you in 2013!
WHAT….!! another year has passed. that is crazy. I am just hitting my 1 year and 9 month anniversary and it seems like yesterday I was sucking down information and learning and struggling. Still struggling but the amazing thing is as time goes by your goals get more clear.
Having an annual year in review worksheet has been invaluable for me in figuring out what worked and in determine my game plan for the new year. without it, we are just throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks.
Something that i will work on more next year is less meaningless social media and more meaningful relationships. I put way too much focus on building a social presence that i ignored my core goals. My bad. It was through my review process that i discovered this although i already knew it. seeing it on paper helped solidiy this concept and now i plan on changing a few years in the new year.
happy new year Benny.. I am sure one of these days we will finally meet..
I know what you mean! I can’t believe it’s been a year already! I find the worksheet to be very valuable in creating positive change for the next year. I can plan out the areas I want to improve and see the areas I need to spend less time in. I don’t want to use the throwing spaghetti strategy either.
I’m sure we will meet one of these days. Can’t wait!! 🙂
A powerful way to review a year and set the sails to more successfully head toward meaningful harbors in 2013. A life unexamined (to paraphrase Socrates) is a life incapable of improving itself. Thanks for providing a great tool to help make life even more worth living, Benny!
Thanks Ken! I found it helpful for me to do it last year and wanted to share it again!
Hey!
thanks for such a great work sheet.
I am glad to have it.
Thanks.
Matt
Just completed 2012 review and 2013 outlook based on your worksheet! Thank you so much! Spreading the worksheet to friends and family!! Happy new year!
You’re welcome Sandy! Glad you took the time to do it so 2013 will be even better!
Great worksheet ! Doing it helps to reveal shortcomings. For example when prompted to list three things I’d achieved, I could only think of one. Obviously I’ve accomplished more than one thing this year but there was only one thing I deliberately set out to accomplish. Doing so took about three weeks–so what about the other forty-nine ? Certainly things happened but without intention, it seems more like forty nine weeks drifting through fog.
Glad you took the time to do the worksheet. Seeing the truth hurts, but it’ll only help us do more the next year. Be more conscious of your actions in 2013. You have to keep reminding yourself.
Its great sheet I have made some sheets for what I have done in last year and a sheet for the next year what I will do. you have made this easy for me there are lots of things we think but when we start doing our work we mix up so many thing together keep tracking and keep watching/reading goals is better then anything.
I love the worksheet. An excellent way to review my 2012 and plan my 2013 goals ahead. I’m very happy that I stumbled across your post during my hunt for something concerning this. I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing.