Your Annual Report

from Able Leader, January 2009

by Steve Kaye

Hello again.

It's time for the annual accounting on the business of your life.

How are you doing?

Specifically, what progress have you made in the following areas?

Your Goals

What did you accomplish over the past year? How do these achievements compare with the goals that you set? How often did you review your goals during the year? And did you revise any of your goals because something changed? Did you add new goals as opportunities appeared?

The Point: Success is built on goals and a plan. And each of these is your best rough draft based on where you are when you write them. Thus, goals and plans must be reviewed and revised frequently.

Your Mind

What did you add to your mind during the past year? What wisdom did you find? What did you learn? What memorable experiences helped you make adjustments? What books did you read? What seminars, workshops, and classes did you attend? What were the three best ideas that you gained from each?

The Point: Your success depends upon applying what you know. Thus, you must engage in a continuous, deliberate learning program to gain new ideas and skills.

Your Friends

Who did you meet this year? How did these new relationships influence you? How did your network of acquaintances, clients, and colleagues change? What have you done to strengthen the important, valuable relationships? How have you helped others? How have others helped you?

The Point: Every success is a group effort. Effective leaders seek out and nurture relationships that help them grow. Thus, you must include developing relationships in every plan.

Your Self

What work have you done on your inner self? What progress have you made in identifying and then eliminating fears? What have you done to replace fears with their opposites? What have you learned about your inner self? What have you done to heal, care for, and strengthen you inner self?

The Point: Everything in your external world is a reflection of your inner self. That is, your inner self either attracts or causes everything that happens around you. Thus, your most important growth begins within yourself.

Your Stuff

How has your external world changed? What did you buy? What did you sell? What did you discard (or donate)? How has your wealth changed? What have you done to increase your wealth? What have you done to add comfort to your home? How has others' perception of you changed? What have you done to cause that?

The Point: Your stuff serves as a score for your choices. If it's improving, then you're making good choices. If not, then your choices are hurting you. In either case, evaluate your choices for clues about needed work on your inner self.

Your World

What have you done to preserve the environment? What changes have you made to conserve energy? How have your reduced your global footprint? What have you done to reduce pollution? How often have you paused to enjoy the beauty in nature around you?

The Point: Right now, human beings are living in a deficit mode on this planet. That means we are consuming and polluting at rates greater than the planet can recover. We must begin making significant chances now.

And Finally

Use these questions as a guide to: 1) Review your achievements during the past year, 2) Set a course for this year, and 3) Monitor your progress during the months ahead.

I wish you the best as you create a masterpiece.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
714-528-1300