For businesses, teams and individuals, January is filled with recapping the prior year’s results, impacts and challenges and looking ahead to the opportunities in the new year. Over the last several decades I have not only done this in my business, but also in my personal life.
Taking stock of accomplishments, challenges and impacts helps me discern areas I need to shift or adjust. This allows me to move to the next level and to find more meaning and satisfaction in my work. I try to complete the process by mid-January. Doing so almost always improves my impact and results going forward.
Last month as I looked at business, team and personal results, I found myself both filled with joy and profoundly sadness. My work allows me to meet and work with so many professionals, executives, leaders, and teams of organizations that are inspiring, motivated, driven and reaching toward and achieving remarkable impact in the world.
But, why did sadness show up so profoundly as I reviewed the prior year?
Simple. The Friday before I sat down to complete my recap I had an experience in which I found myself unable (or unwilling) to honestly and openly look at the behavior of another. In the event, I judged the person’s behavior as directed toward me — I felt it was about my value as a person.
I was upset and, in fact, I got very little sleep that Friday night.
The story I was telling myself began to cloud my view of the past year and I couldn’t bring myself to complete my year-in-review that weekend.
Sadly, the story was not reflective of the previous year’s results, nor was my judgement about the person’s behavior correct. My inner voice was defining the entire year based on one event . . . and how I wasn’t enough. Luckily, I reached for the “pause button.”
Thank goodness I did. By Tuesday I was able to tap into my own quiet space and willingness to look at the event, the year, and the true results. I was also willing to look at the sadness and the joy for what it was.
It was a year of shift and transformation. The prior year was filled with failures, lessons, bridges crossed, and successes. It included supporting and helping many people, leaders, and teams achieve their goals. It was an impactful and meaningful year.
A review of the year usually offers me many insights. The greatest insight from the past year for me is the fact that I have been more willing to stop and press pause. Pausing created many important shifts for me.
For the coming year, the impact of this insight is a profound reminder that the behavior of others is a reflection of the state of their relationship with themselves and not a statement about my value.
Transformation occurs one moment at a time. I am grateful for NOW. A simple pause, allows me to create space and willingness to be present.
The biggest insight from last year? Continue to use the pause button.
Did you do a review of the prior year? What insight did you gain?
What will you continue to do this year? What will you stop doing?
Share your thoughts below.
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