Every year, as the clock winds down on the current year and we anticipate the revelry of the ball dropping, noise-makers, and kissing loved ones at the stroke of midnight, I take the opportunity to sit down and do some good old-fashioned soul searching.

With 40+ years of business experience, I have found that self-reflection often goes hand-in-hand with success. In our fast-paced world with our busy lives as entrepreneurs, it’s all too easy to lose track of who we are, what we want, and what’s most important to us if we don’t prioritize thoughtful reflection.

And yet, those are the very elements we need to keep front of mind to succeed.

“Taking time to reflect back on the road we’ve taken to get here, and to appreciate every bump for the lessons they teach, can be incredibly helpful. Applying those lessons in ways that help us push forward, to progress in our goals, can be invaluable.”  –Gabriel Bristol

I encourage you to take time in the next week or two – before things get really busy in the new year – for personal introspection.

This can be an easy and enjoyable process that leaves you feeling more satisfied both personally and professionally. In fact, a Harvard Business Review study found that leaders who conducted self reflection practices regularly felt less depleted, more engaged, and happier even outside of the office.

Here are a few ideas to think about in your self reflection in order to grow both personally and professionally in the new year.

What Worked?  

What have you achieved in the past year? What was successful? In what ways have you been a good leader and a good community member? What are you grateful for in your professional life? Take stock and celebrate your successes.

Around every New Year’s, Mike and I partake in what we call a “Victory Celebration.” We take stock of all the victories – large and small – that we accomplished in the past year. It gives us the strength and motivation to move forward with focus and the right mindset.

What Didn’t Work?

While celebrating your successes is important, it’s equally important to examine and  learn from any failures or areas where you have dropped the ball. The purpose of this reflection is not to beat yourself up over what went wrong, but rather, these learning opportunities will inform the goals you set for the new year.

For example, do you need to network more and expand your professional circle? Commit to attending at least one networking event per week and engage in real conversations and forge new relationships.

Have you found that you repeatedly drop the ball with colleagues, prospects, or friends? If a contact asks you for information or to follow up, then make an accountability plan to be true to your word. By following up in a timely, friendly manner, you come across as a professional with integrity and tenacity with whom people would like to do business. You may make a strong impression and come across as a world class professional, but an impression can amount to nothing without follow through.

Do you spend a lot of time prospecting with little to show for it? You may need to create a referral program to create mutual benefit for your happy clients, their contacts, and yourself. Remember to express gratitude when clients do send referrals your way. You may wish to incentivize referrals by reducing your fees for clients that send business your way, sending a handwritten “thank you” letter, or giving a gift card or bottle of wine.

What Are Your Goals?

Whether you want to reach a sales quota or improve your marketing efforts, you can’t reach goals without setting them. Now is a good time to review your goals, dig deep into the areas you need to improve based on your reflection so far, and make the adjustments necessary to achieve them. Goals should be “S.M.A.R.T.” – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

I challenge you to join me in self reflection and celebration of all that we have accomplished this year. Pat yourself on the back for the hurdles you’ve overcome and the strides forward you have made in 2018. Then, take the steps necessary to make 2019 a successful, profitable, and fulfilling year.

Once you’ve toasted the New Year with your loved ones, contact me to discover how to orchestrate a master plan and implement the proven strategies necessary to make 2019 the year you finally “Double Plus” your income.

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed, prosperous, and profitable New Year!

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlus^TM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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