Reflecting on the Year and Getting Ready for Next Year

Looking back on the year and preparing for the upcoming year is a practice that many of us consider this time of year. Some wait until the beginning of the year, some start around October/November. Reflection is critical, it provides an opportunity to evaluate and enjoy success, consider opportunities for improvement, and determine focus for the following year.

This week on the podcast we talk about the importance of reflection, establishing goals, measuring, and iteration.

Questions Addressed

• Why is it important to reflect?
• How do you set goals & reflect?
• How have you performed against goals in the past year?
• When you set yourself up for the year, identify goals, how do you plan for opportunities that you are not aware of?
• If we are going to fall short of our goals for the year, how do we adjust late in the year?
• How important is it to focus on things outside of sales? (i.e. fitness, family)
• What else should we be looking at as we wrap up the year?

Key Takeaways

• This is a great time to ask yourself the question - "Of the goals, I set at the beginning of the year - how many of them have I accomplished?"
• Establishing and evaluating goals/performance in the context of Mind, Body, Finances, Family. Here are some questions I ask.
  • Did I do what I said I was going to do?
  • What did I add to my list over the course of the year?
  • Where did I fail & where did I succeed most? What patterns can I identify, and how might they apply to the next year?
• Evaluating the year from a personal perspective.
  • There were some good things, and some not so good things, but I continue to move forward.
  • The importance of building the pipeline is a lesson that was reinforced.
• One question I like to ask is "What's the worst thing that can happen?" you can also look at the alternative of this - "What's the best thing that can happen?
• Don't let the jackpot events influence your strategic planning.
• At some point, you may need to shift the mindset to focus on the future.
• Mind & Body come into play - if you are not healthy, it is hard to do the work.
• Your priorities will change with the seasons of your life. This will evolve.
• Balance is important.
• Bill Marriott story conveyed by Lee Cockerell - "You know why I do not have any problems at work? It's because I don't have any problems at home."
• What can we do as we prepare for the next year?
  • Think about your buckets.
  • Identify the KPIs that help you determine if you are making progress in these areas.
  • Continue to evaluate performance & the buckets throughout the year. (Time, Balance, Things you can do to make an impact on success)
  • Be ok with letting go. Sometimes it makes sense to exit.
• Simplify by taking things away, not by adding.
• Take Time & Reflect.

Show Links

• Catalyst Sale Live Chat
• Past Reflection episodes
  • Getting over a Bad Year
  • How to Handle a Sales Slump
  • Dealing with Emotions in Sales
• Ratings & Reviews on iTunes

Thank You

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In every business, in every opportunity, there is someone who can help you navigate the internal challenges and close the deal. There is a Catalyst. We integrate process (Catalyst Sale Process), technology and people, with the purpose of accelerating revenue. Our thoughtful approach minimizes false starts that are common in emerging markets and high-growth environments. We continue to evolve our practice based on customer needs and emerging technology. We care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do.

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