Jan 10 Reflect, Refocus, and Rocket Forward
Each year presents an opportunity to pause and reflect – not just on what you’ve accomplished but on the person you’ve become as an individual and leader.
I’ve created a set of 6 provocative questions to help you document and review your year with insightful clarity. These touch on both your professional and personal lives because, as I often remind my clients, “We live an integrated life.”
Success in one area feeds the other, and understanding and leveraging this synergistic balance is the key to sustained growth.
I recommend writing down your answers in a journal or a digital document. My executive clients tell me that revisiting their insights year after year allows them a convenient and enlightening way to track their progress and growth – and realign their focus. I do this myself, and it’s incredibly inspiring to go back and look at my answers and realize how far I’ve come in just 12 short months. Here are the questions:
1) What personal and professional accomplishments or milestones defined your year?
Reflect on the moments that shaped your year. Perhaps you were promoted, led a groundbreaking project, or built a high-performance team. Personally, consider the things that brought you joy – such as family connections, pivotal events and transformative experiences, memorable travels, and rewarding friendships.
Scrolling through your photos or past journal entries is a simple way to jog your memory. Ask yourself: What truly mattered? What brought me the greatest joy? Understanding those highlights helps you prioritize what to carry into the following year.
2) What challenges shaped your growth as a leader and individual?
Growth often emerges from the toughest moments. Reflect on the challenges or losses you faced during the year – professionally or personally – and how they refined your leadership, mindset, or perspective and outlook on life.
What did you learn about resilience? How did you handle high-pressure situations? These lessons often reveal your strengths and areas for continued future development.
3) What do you need to let go?
It’s time to assess what’s holding you back. With many of my coaching clients, I share 360 feedback and observations from others to reveal what’s limiting their potential.
Too much comfort leads to stagnation. Profound growth happens when you step beyond your familiar comfort zone into the zone of fresh challenges and possibilities.
Are there habits, strategies, or belief systems that no longer serve your growth or best version of yourself? Let go of them to create space for new opportunities to thrive.
4) What actions, steps, and habits could better align with your goals?
This is a powerful question and requires a bit of deeper reflection and self-discovery. Maybe it’s about committing to a new leadership habit, prioritizing your health, or investing in your professional development to become a stronger leader.
Define what “starting anew” looks like to you. Identify what needs to change. Mentally visualize that change to internalize it. Outline the steps to move you forward. Start living your new goals from day one to ensure your best year yet!
5) What aspects of your life do you need to sustain and more broadly develop?
Identify what’s working and fueled your past year’s success and fulfillment.
Double down on these strengths. Whether it’s maintaining a morning routine that grounds you, fostering professional relationships, or dedicating time to family, recognize what’s working for you. Commit to nurturing that and keeping it at the core of your life.
6) What is one small but impactful step you can take today to set the tone for the year ahead?
Big change often starts with small, focused, easily measurable actions. Choose one step – something manageable but meaningful to create momentum. Take that step today to pave the way for a purposeful, successful year. Small victories invite major successes and add up to life-changing triumphs!
Summary
Reflecting on your year is one of the most valuable investments you can make in yourself. It allows you to celebrate your wins, extract lessons from challenges, and clarify and realign with your goals − both as a leader and as an individual. This process strengthens your sense of purpose and sets the stage for more intentional action in the year ahead.
Your growth as an executive is a lifelong journey. By pausing to reflect, you ensure that your next steps are not just forward but focused on what truly matters. Don’t let the pace of life rob you of the opportunity to grow. Pause, reevaluate, and act with laser intent to ensure that you’re not just moving forward – but moving forward with purpose.
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Sarah Hathorn, CEO of Hathorn Consulting Group, is the go-to-expert in working with leaders and companies to create successful corporate DNA. As an executive coach, consultant and speaker she collaborates globally with clients and brands such as Deloitte, McKesson, Kimberly-Clark, Sherwin-Williams, Home Depot and other leading organizations.
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