Think back to December 4, 2012 for just a minute. Where were you in your business? What were your revenues, salary, and profits at that time? What were your clients like? What were your biggest issues?
If we don’t occasionally look back to take a snapshot at a point in our history, we may not realize how much we’ve accomplished in such a short time. I’m not much for dwelling in the past, but this exercise is tremendously useful for a couple of reasons:
- It helps you appreciate how much you’ve changed and gotten accomplished, and this boosts your self-esteem and confidence a great deal.
- It allows you to compare your current goals to see if you are playing too small in your business and need to set more ambitious goals.
Here are some questions for you to consider:
Question 1
What new business skills have you acquired in the last year that you have already used to help your clients? This might be in the area of technical skills, such as new tax laws or accounting rules. It could include new software applications added to your tool belt. It might be new practice management ideas to help you become more efficient. It could also be new marketing skills that have helped you reach and serve more people.
Make a list of all the new skills you’ve gained and how you’ve applied them to your business or your clients’ situations.
Question 2
What new ideas have you learned that have helped you better reach your personal and professional goals? New ideas can come from anywhere – traveling to a new city, talking with someone very different from you, or more structured training from someone who shows you how to see differently.
List the new ideas you have implemented since December 4, 2012.
Question 3
How have you changed in terms of your professional or personal development? Are you more patient with clients? Do you present more professionally? Have you developed an ability to write or speak effectively?
How have these personal develop skills helped and changed you and your business?
Question 4
Are you happier and/or healthier than you were last year at this time? Why or why not? What can you do more of (or less of) to be happier and healthier this year?
Stop and examine how you feel emotionally. You might need to hold still for a while to really feel what’s going on. Use self-awareness to tune into what’s going on with you.
The Celebration
If you don’t recognize who you were on December 4, 2012, congratulations. You have a lot to celebrate. Please take some time to brag to your closest friends (and perhaps share this exercise with them so they can brag back).
December 4, 2014
Finally, take a look at the goals you have for yourself for the coming year. Based on what you accomplished last year, are they bold enough? What will you become on December 4, 2014?