How Did I Do in 2022?

(2023-2)

Last year I wrote a post entitled “No More New Year’s Resolutions!” (See https://mrhensonllc.com/no-more-new-years-resolutions/ for the full post).  As part of my 2022 goal review, I reread that post.  I thought to revisit it and share how I did without any New Year’s resolutions in 2022.

In mid-December I sat down and evaluated what happened in 2022.  I followed the standard four-step process of an “after action review.”  The four steps include:

1. What did I want to happen?
2. Acknowledge what really happened
3. What did I learn from the experience?
4. Adjust my behavior

I will follow these four steps in reporting what happened in 2022.

What did I want to happen?

The core of my plan at the start of 2022 was to achieve all my annual goals.  At the end of 2021, I developed ten key goals to drive my action in 2022.  I set achievable, actionable goals.  I set goals in all my key life areas.  I also set a mix of achievement vs. habit goals.

I also followed the lessons I learned from reading Michael Hyatt’s “Your Best Year Ever” book.  This was the book I read before developing my initial goals.

I was motivated and inspired to start the year – yet I didn’t achieve my ten goals.  When I looked back on the year, I knew it wasn’t my best year ever.  In fact, it was one of my worst for goal achievement.

Acknowledge what really happened.

I fully completed five of the ten goals I laid out for the year.  In looking back, it dawned on me that two life events took me “out of the game” for over three months of the year.  I’ve written about both events.  My three-week rafting trip down the Grand Canyon sidetracked me for five to six weeks (planning, preparing, rafting, and recovery).  My Dad’s health issues and resultant death put my plan on hold for quite some time.  I’m still trying to fully resolve Dad’s estate.

I didn’t plan for the unexpected (does anyone really?).  I have learned to give myself a little grace when setting goals.  I review my goals regularly and with the planner I use I re-write them quarterly.  I’ve decided to be more flexible this year.

I also set overly ambitious goals in 2022.  Setting ambitious goals is fine, but I learned I shouldn’t have set so many ambitious goals.

What did I learn from the experience?

I could tell heading into the fourth quarter of 2022 that it was going to be one of my worst years recently (as far as goal achievement).  I decided to begin my year-end review much earlier in 2022, starting the week after Thanksgiving.  I also started setting up my first quarter 2023 planner much earlier.  I decided to review earlier and look forward earlier.  I like how this is working so far.  I find I’m not beating myself up over missed goals like I have in the past.  Giving yourself grace is healthy.

I shared my 2022 goals only with my wife, which was one thing I learned earlier in the year.  This worked well.  I should probably expand the number of people a bit but plan to be judicious about who they are.

I also started setting my 2023 goals much earlier this year.  I completed my first draft on December 5, 2022.  I finalized this version on January 9, 2023.

I didn’t have any resolutions in 2022 and don’t plan to have any in 2023.  I will stick with my goal setting process with the tweaks I’ve instituted since my 2022 review.

Adjust my behavior.

A lot of my behavior adjustments were stated in the previous section.  To me, the biggest behavior changes have included:

• Earlier after-action review
• Earlier goal setting
• Scheduling routine goal reviews (I started a weekly review of goals in November of 2022.  I plan to continue that weekly review through 2023)

How did you do in 2022?  If you set resolutions, how did that turn out for you?  Have you decided to do anything differently in 2023?  Can I add value to your process?  Let me know, I’d like to help.