Hits, Misses, and Wishes

Around this time of year I often ask people I'm coaching to think about their "hits, misses, and wishes". It's a simple way of taking a snapshot of the year and framing some celebration, learning and planning in the transition to a new year.

So ...

What have been your "hits" this year? The things that have gone well, that have been successful, that you would mark down as achievements? What are you proud of? How have you improved?

This morning I received an email from a student who is about to graduate with their MBA. It's a significant achievement. This individual also had to overcome significant challenges to achieve that goal. And they're immediately building on that success to help others. Reading the email reminded me that one person's success can inspire, encourage and enable many others. Celebrating your "hits" can have a positive ripple effect. How have you celebrated your achievements this year? And whose achievements can you celebrate?

How about your "misses"? We all have them. Things that haven't gone as planned, that failed, that stalled, or derailed. What aspirations or strategies didn't get the momentum or support you hoped for? Was there something important that you just didn't get to focusing attention on? How have you resolved those "misses" so you can move on? What lessons have you taken from the experience?

One of my misses this year has been that my next book is not ready for publication. It should have been and I enlisted some excellent support. (That was a lesson learned the year before - I can't do everything on my own.) But I didn't create enough space to finalise it. There has, however, been some significant progress that I can build on in the new year. Stay tuned ...

And how about your "wishes" for the year ahead? What are you aiming for? What are the big ticket items you need to harness your energy for? What are you planning to achieve? What are your goals for growth, change and development? What will you be celebrating by this time next year? Even if you're not into goal setting, it's important to have a sense of "strategic intent" - a direction you want to make intentional progress in.

Taking a moment to think about - and share - your "hits, misses, and wishes" can be a simple but valuable investment in yourself and your team, as well as in your family and friendships.

It's important to celebrate our hits, learn from our misses, and to start taking intentional action towards our wishes for the future ... and to help others do the same.

Congratulations on your hits this year. Harness the lessons from the inevitable misses. And best wishes for the Christmas season and the new year ...