Four questions to start 2024 on purpose!
My daily practice of connecting to purpose improves my efficiency and productivity and more importantly, it gives me the strong sense of positive wellbeing that comes from aligning my values and my actions. It’s a brief daily practice of reconnecting to intentions that I set at the beginning of each calendar year. Each year I take a slightly different approach to reflecting on the previous year and renewing my purpose, mission, vision and goals in light of the shifting tides of my professional and personal life. Here are the four questions I've been journaling on, and chatting about with some of my collaborators, over the last few weeks to ensure I start 2024 on purpose. Ask yourself, your staff, your partner or your kids…
What were my most deeply fulfilling wins of 2023? I've been looking back over my calendar, month by month, considering which moments, events and interactions really lit me up. Not just superficial victories… I’m considering which of my successes gave me a strong sense of using my strengths to serve a greater purpose. Ask yourself, your team, your family, and your partner, which events, activities and relationships felt the most meaningful this year - which were you truly grateful for? It's a great way to clarify what's really important to you and others.
What mistakes, failures and ‘bad’ decisions would I benefit from letting go of? It's important to learn from our failures and it's also important not to dwell on them - particularly when they lead to ingrained habits, and mindsets that aren't productive. A useful way of phrasing this is, ‘what am I ready to forgive myself for?’ This question helps me to gain a clear sense of what might hold me back from living in flow next year.
Dreaming big, what could a totally ‘values aligned’ 2024 look like? Thinking deeper than the targets you want to hit… What do you really want 2024 to feel like? How will you care for yourself? What do you want time with your family and friends to look like? What impact do you want to have at work? What wins would you like to be celebrating this time next year? And most importantly, what kind of character traits do you need to embody to kick those goals? The most powerful question here might be, ‘who do you want to be next year?’
What are the most important actions to start with? You can't possibly know every step along the way. Once you have a clear vision, all you need is the next right step to put you on the right path. Start with the low hanging fruit - what are some easy actions or habits you can implement? Then move towards some stretch goals. It’s worth thinking about what support you need and how you can keep yourself accountable. What daily reminders can you put in place? Who are your key support people, what commitments can you make to them, and how do you want them to remind you of those commitments?
I’ve found that exploring these questions through quiet contemplation, journaling and meaningful conversations has been a powerful way to distil the last year's wins into a clear vision for 2024. Because I’ve been sharing my answers with some key people, I now have a supportive accountability network at my back and I’m feeling clear, focussed and confident in starting my year off on the right foot. Of course, they are useful questions at any time of year.
I hope you enjoy carving out deliberate time to consider these questions with some key people in your professional and personal life. Good luck!