Start Your Best Year Yet with Reflection and Release

Each year people and companies attempt to follow the best practice of goal setting or strategic planning. Sadly, the statistic for success can be remarkably  low — 85% of strategic plans fail in the execution and 87% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by Valentine’s Day. Why is it that we have such a tough time executing our fresh, new goals and sticking to our resolutions?

Teri Hill, our January luncheon speaker, has been working with companies and individuals on strategizing their businesses’ and lives for more than 20 years. Teri says that if you are older than 15, it’s likely you are attempting to plant seeds of success in a garden full of weeds, also known as past disappointments and failures. One of Teri’s five tips to success in your Best Year Yet is to till the garden. Take time out to dig into the soil of the past or Reflect/Release. The process of Reflect/Release involves reviewing your past year or years and asking a few key questions. Take a look at the questions and sample answers below, and then come to the luncheon prepared to tackle the Reflect/Release step:

What did I accomplish? 
30% annual growth in business revenue.  I made more money than ever before!

What were my disappointments?
I worked an average of 70 hours each week even though I added 3 new people to help in business.  I was exhausted!

What did I learn?
I have to delegate and manage more effectively. I know now that I need to learn how to lead more effectively.

What do I need to release?
The belief that if I don’t do it or double check it then it may not be good enough. Or, the idea that I am the one with all the best answers.

What is my 2014 Guiding Principle to help me embody this lesson?
The perfect is the enemy of the good.  I am a leader first and a doer only when absolutely necessary.

Dig into the exercise above in more depth and learn the four other steps to your Best Year Yet at our luncheon next Wednesday. Early bird registration has been extended until Monday, Jan. 13.

WCA’s January luncheon is sponsored by SOFRITO, specializing in marketing strategy, film and design for Latino, women, and youth marketing.