Michael Nichols | Leadership Made Simple
Leadership Made Simple
I asked her, “What do you want your life to mean?”
Sitting across the cafe table from our 8-year-old daughter, I waited patiently for her response. She spent the next 45 minutes telling me her dreams – for her life, for her friends, for her work, for her family.
She talked a lot about what she is doing at this point in her life – about today. As I listened, I was reminded – [Tweet “The only way to have a great future is to have a lot of great todays.”]
Before you know it, a new year will be here. So it’s time for your annual review. Have you ever considered using an annual review template to keep you on track during your review?
It seems like the years get shorter and shorter with each passing year. And if you’re like me you’ve already identified several goals for the new year.
I’ve learned that, if I am going to live out the things that are most important to me, I must plan regular, purposeful time away to reflect on the past and look forward into the future.
Last week, I spent two days alone in East Texas conducting my annual review. While I was away, I spent time relaxing, reflecting, thinking, praying. And I made significant progress in a couple of areas in which my growth had stalled.
I am regularly asked what I do during this time away so in this post I’m going to give you my guide & template for how I prepare for my annual review.
You’ve probably already heard about all kinds of stuff that people are selling to help you improve in this year. But have you heard about the big giveaway I have going on?
Yep, when most people are selling stuff, I decided to do it a little different – I’m giving stuff away instead. Think of it as a gift – from me to you. I’ll tell you how to get it in just a moment.
Most people wait for life to happen to them. They plod along – reacting to the circumstances along their path in their life and work. Sadly, many end up never accomplishing important life or career goals for one simple reason – they never paused long enough to give some thought to where they were headed and how they were going to get there.
About 15 years ago, that was my story. I wanted my life to matter but couldn’t figure out how to make it happen. And few people understood my passion and fewer challenged me to pursue it with abandon.
Let me tell you – that’s not the life you were meant to live. And it’s not how your career is supposed to go.
When you purposefully set aside time for reflection and planning you are far more likely to accomplish your goals.
Your life and work are not something that you can plan once and then put them away. They are far too important for that!
I’ve learned that I must plan regular, purposeful time away if I am going to live out the things that are most important to me. And I must adequately prepare for my time away to maximize its impact on my life and work.
Let’s face it – the number one problem with goals is that people forget about them. And when you do, those things that you once identified as top priorities fade into the noise of life.
[Tweet “The number one problem with goals is that people forget about them.”]
The number one problem in life planning is that people stop reviewing their life plan. And those things that have been identified as most important fade into the noise of life and work.
Your life and work are not something that you plan once and then put away. They are far too important for that! To have maximum impact, your life plan and business vision should be reviewed regularly.
When I first wrote my life plan – and when I first drafted my business vision – I reviewed them every day for 90 days. Yes, this was time-consuming, but eventually I could review them quickly in 10-15 minutes. This practice solidified the purpose and the practice of reviewing them regularly.
After 90 days, I began reviewing them weekly. I found that monthly wasn’t often enough for me.
I noticed that I had some margin on Sunday during the early morning hours when the family is still sleeping. So I scheduled a weekly review of my life plan and business vision.
Over the years my weekly review has come to include more items which each help me 1) retain margin in my schedule, 2) maintain healthy relationships and connections, 3) be fulfilled in my work, and 4) be more productive and effective.
Today, I’m giving you access to my Weekly Review Template. I’ll share it with you in a moment, but first, here are four ways that my weekly review has helped me find greater fulfillment and effectiveness in my life and work…
