Originally published: January 13, 2022
Revised: January 23, 2024
I love the beginning and end of the year more than any other time.
As a strategy-obsessed and goal-oriented person with countless projects, ideas, and ambitions, only January and December present an opportunity where I feel that I can truly breath, think, reflect, and plan. For me, the rest of the year is for executing the plan and adapting. Without the process I follow every January and December, I don’t think I would be able to accomplish a fraction of what I’ve been able to over the last decade.
So whether or not you are like me in this regard, you likely have things you want to accomplish, and I thought it might be helpful to share with you what my process looks like.
This is the blueprint for how I plan my year.
This is the outline for what I do each year.
I’ll break each of these down and give examples.
I start out the year picking my three words.
Instead of resolutions which tend to get abandoned, these three words are themes that I keep in mind throughout the year. I’m not resolving to do anything. I’m thinking about who I want to be and choosing three words to remind me of these commitments.
These words are something I tend to think about throughout the previous year as I notice areas I’m falling short, places I need to grow, or ways to enhance what’s already working. As I think of words that may work for the upcoming year, I’ll add them to a note for future reference.
In 2022, my three words were Author - Reduce - Delegate.
Each year, I make myself a phone lock screen wallpaper so I see my three words everyday.
Once I have my themes, I move to Goals.