Annual Review 2009: Introduction & Outline

As 2009 comes to an end, I’m finding people talking about plans for the new year. I am not talking about resolutions through. I believe the most successful people created goals and set up plans for 2009. I seemed to fly by the seat of my pants,  had the desire to gain traction in the blogosphere, and dream to slowly build a way to start a small business online.

I was and still am the furthest thing from structured. This post about my own Annual Review is to take note of what I was happy with this year and what I want to outline for 2010. I learned about this type of review from Chris Guillibeau and his Unconventional Guide to Working for Yourself.  I see the success that Chris attained this year and I can clearly see that he had a very well thought out plan of attack.

For the rest of December, I am going to be focusing on this type of material so that I can clearly set a plan of attack in the new year.  I don’t want my goals or ‘resolutions’ to be so generic or shallow.  I’ve gone through some great exercises lately that deal with what I, personally, value.  From my values, I will establish deliberate intent and figure out how I will go about achieving my goals.

How Chris helps to explain the process is:

Step 1: Review the Previous Year
Step 2: Outline Goals and Overall Focus for Next Year
Step 3: Make Decisions in Support of the Goals and Focus

I don’t know how many posts this process will take me.  Nor do I know how detailed I plan to get publicly.   I am looking forward to the planning for 2010! I have started to mentally envision my own 2010.  Visualization is extremely powerful.

Visualization is what I want to add to this entire exercise.  If you do something like this, I want you to add a new step:

Step 4: Visualize the decisions made in step 3

By visualization, I mean to sit or lay down, close your eyes, and imagine yourself going through the steps you’ve outlined to achieve your goal.  Do this from the point of an observer. See yourself achieving your goals and envision the way you’ll feel once you’ve achieved them.  This is basically taking time to see yourself as already achieving the goals you have just established for yourself.  You can always come back to this if you’re feeling stuck or held down.  It doesn’t require you to blog about either. It’s something you do in your head.

Athletes do this kind of visualization.  It’s creating the belief that you can do anything.  While you may have set some very tough goals, if you watch it happening in your head, you’re mind understands that it’s possible.  2010 is going to be an amazing year for us all.

Don’t be resistant to planning. I urge you to get serious about planning.  Tap into your values and speak from your passion(s).  I want you to follow along with me.  This time next year, we’ll be able to look back and realize the power of this exercise.

Make sure to follow those links over to Chris’ AONC Blog and see more of what he is doing.  He’s well into his review and planning.

Think about how you do your Annual Review as well:

• Mind Maps
• Post-it Notes
• Lists
• Whiteboard
• Chalkboard
• Corkboard

I think making the process as creative as possible is another way to add an element of fun to the process.  It may depend on time though! I hope you decide to share your thoughts and feelings on this post!

photo credit: Jacob Botter