Key to Professional and Personal Success: Those Who Self-Reflect Can Self-Correct

Mindy Thomas
Tue, 30 Dec 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Those who self reflect can self correct. It’s such a powerful insight. Think about it.

As the New Year creeps up, we are all trying to catch our breath. Like the rest of us, I am working hard to gain more clarity and find greater balance in my life, my work, and in my relationships.

One of the best ways to gain insight is to ask yourself reflective questions. For the past seven years, I have performed this exercise annually, right before I ring in the New Year. To crystalize your thoughts in this manner can have profound implications for your future.

Consider the following reflection questions as you review this past year:

1. What did you love about 2014?

2. What did you strongly dislike about 2014?

3. What do you really desire with your whole heart for 2015?

The first question about what we loved in 2014 is a slam dunk, yes? I can easily rattle off what made me happy this year. But if you are having trouble with this one, I have a suggestion. Gratitude can unlock your answers. Try going there first and then make your list. You and I both know how devastating this year has been for many people, so get real. Perhaps your year could have been much worse.

The second question is critical, because if we don’t reflect on what we disliked, we’ll invariably repeat the same mistakes and see the same results. Been there, done that? Being human means being able to recognize errors in decision making and, with that, realize that we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves. Beating yourself up does nothing for your future. However, learning from your actions and consciously making better choices will ensure a higher overall success rate, both personally and professionally.

Finally, what do you want in 2015? The way you write your script for next year is of utmost importance. Clearly, individuals who take the time to write their goals down are able to realize their dreams far easier than people who don’t.

A study conducted by Dominican University proved that writing down one’s goals and creating action plans -- and, further, going public with them -- did in fact improve achievement on a significant basis. Here are a few notable findings:

1. Accountability had a positive effect. Those who sent weekly progress reports to a friend accomplished significantly more than those who didn’t.

2. It helps to go public. Those who sent their commitments to a friend accomplished significantly more than those who wrote only action commitments or did not write down their goals.

3. Written goals worked. Those who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not.

I am a huge believer in a powerful annual review process. One year, I wrote about wanting to play respectable golf.

Three months later, during twilight golf at Paxon Hollow Country Club, the most incredible athletic feat of my life happened. I hit a hole in one!!! Those who know me, as "a wanna be" athlete, would never have believed that possible.

Do something positive for yourself and your future during this holiday season and focus on your own annual review before the New Year. Taking time to reflect, create goals, and establish an action plan could represent a powerful turning point for you. As Tony Robbins, one of the most masterful coaches on the planet, would say, “Make your life a masterpiece.”