Business Owner Update: what I’ve learned in the first half of 2021
At the beginning of the year I read a book called The 12 Week Year, and I have been using the structure outlined in that book to set both personal and professional goals for this year. Breaking down my goals into 12-week chunks has helped me set realistic goals and create a solid plan around how to achieve them.
One thing they talk about in the book is how important it is to look back over your previous quarter and evaluate what is working and what isn’t. It really is so helpful when we can take time to see what we’ve done well and where there is space for improvement!
Right now the second of my “12-week years” is coming to an end, so I took some time to look back and see what I’ve learned over the past quarter that I can apply moving forward. I thought it would be fun to share this process with you, so that you could ask the same questions of yourself and see what there is to discover.
Below I’ve listed the questions I’m asking to reflect on the past quarter, as well as prepare for the upcoming one! Take some time to go through these questions, and see how they can help influence the goals you’re working toward now.
Questions to ask looking back:
What is one thing that worked well in my business last quarter?
What is one area where I didn’t experience the growth/results I wanted to?
What was something that surprised me (can be positive or negative)?
On a scale from 1-10, how would I rate my commitment to the goals I set?
What was the biggest encouragement I experienced last quarter?
Was there any source of discouragement that I consistently experienced?
As I went through the questions, the ones that were most powerful for me were the last two. I realized that many of the times I felt discouraged weren’t because of tangible reasons, but rather were times where I had a negative mindset. Being able to recognize that I have a tendency to be my own worst enemy and biggest critic is something I will remind myself of moving forward. Hopefully now when I start to feel discouraged, I can remember to ask myself whether that feeling is based in fact or in my perception of the situation. Discoveries like this can be completely transformative because we learn how to better care for ourselves while working toward our goals.
Once you’ve had a chance to go through the reflection questions, it’s time to carry that information into the next set of questions that will help you set yourself up for success moving forward!
Questions to ask for the upcoming quarter:
What are my three top goals for the new quarter?
What are the steps I need to take to reach those goals?
How do I hope I'll feel when I achieve these goals?
What is one way I can challenge myself in this next quarter?
What is one way I can support myself in this quarter?
Who is someone I can collaborate with or from whom I can ask for help?
Who is someone I can help?
Setting clear vision and action steps is so important in achieving your goals. Hopefully these questions will help bring you some new awareness and get you re-energized about the dreams God has placed on your heart! Let me know what your biggest takeaway was from this exercise and how we at Stand Unshaken can be praying for you!