No matter how wonderful the past, life can be greater yet. To prepare ourselves for that possibility and raise the probability of its occurrence, let us embrace the process of personal continuous improvement.
The journey of continuous improvement begins with an honest assessment. So, break out and examine your plan for this past year and take time to consider “how did I do?” No plan? At a minimum, assess your behaviors in twelve key areas of performance.
With honest assessment comes:
- Personal understanding
- Satisfaction … in the humble glow of successes achieved, strengths gained, and risks avoided
- Constructive dissatisfaction … in the face of failures endured, weaknesses exposed, and risks encountered
- Insights into future actions required to address needs, meet goals, achieve objectives, and avoid risks
- Conviction for future action
Doing the very same things and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. One must make different decisions, take new actions, and change behaviors to achieve different outcomes. Honest assessment allows you to note what needs to change and helps you build a path toward that change.