Looking Back and Celebrating 2018
Last week my mastermind group met to celebrate the holidays. One of our agenda items was sharing our accomplishments for 2018. What I discovered about myself during that conversation is likely a more universal experience than most of us realize, so today I want us to explore how we reflect and celebrate 2018 and all we’ve done.
Before our group met, I prepped for the conversation and walked in with a list of accomplishments that were small but satisfying accomplishments. Then as my friend and colleague, Scott, started sharing his accomplishments, I realized how much I had downplayed what I had accomplished this year.
What I learned in that moment, was I don’t see large, overarching accomplishments, I usually only see the small accomplishments, leaving me feeling like there was more to do – that I left a lot to be accomplished. Scott looked at bigger picture accomplishments and found greater satisfaction in knowing he had accomplished big goals.
My 2018 Accomplishments
- Signing up for a new marketing program
- Outsourcing some of my tasks in more efficient ways
- Finding a better pace for how much work I could take on
Scott’s Accomplishments
- Earning his Certified Speaking Professional designation (CSP)
- Creating a new keynote and creating a matching speech for a TEDx event
- Moving he and his wife to a new dream location in Florida
Here’s what’s ironic: I basically accomplished two of the things Scott did (earning my CSP and creating and launching a new keynote minus the TEDx), but it never occurred to me that those things were big accomplishment milestones to celebrate.
Why weren’t they on my list? Because I get bogged down in getting things done and I lose focus on how what I’m doing helps me accomplish bigger goals.
The Bigger Picture
Maybe you’re like me, and you focus on the daily grind. I encourage you to think more like Scott this next week as the year winds down. I encourage you to objectively look at the bigger picture items and write a list of what you have truly accomplished this year.
You’ll step into the holidays feeling more satisfied. It will also give you greater perspective as you start thinking about what you want to accomplish in 2019. I’m willing to guarantee you have accomplished way more than you think you have this year. And, that’s worth celebrating!
Happy holidays to all of you! Now go celebrate!
Keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Sarah Gibson, helps organizations leverage the power of communication, teamwork and diversity to improve engagement and transform teams. To buy her book or inquire about her speaking programs, please visit www.sarahjgibson.com.
