As one year draws to a close, the pressure to look ahead often arrives quickly. New goals. New plans. New intentions.
But before you rush into thinking about what comes next, there is one step that matters far more than goal setting.
Reviewing the year you have just lived.
A thoughtful review is not about judgement or measuring yourself against others. It is about understanding what actually happened, what changed, what you learned, and what you want to carry forward.
Many people avoid reviewing their year because it feels uncomfortable.
If the year did not go to plan, it can feel easier to move on quickly.
If the year was busy, there never seems to be time to stop.
If results were mixed, it can feel hard to know where to start.
But skipping the review means missing valuable insight.
The answers you need for next year are already in the year you have just lived.
As I sit down to review this year myself, I am very aware that it looked nothing like I expected.
Last December, on the 23rd, Gary and I got married. We then spent a month on our honeymoon in Bali and Australia. When we came home, we genuinely believed we were stepping into a quieter, simpler year.
That is not how it unfolded.
We took on a neglected allotment and slowly turned it into a beautiful space where we now grow our own vegetables. We bought the old hairdressers below our home and transformed it into a photography studio for Gary and an office space for us both. Then, on the 1st of December, we bought the apartment next door with a tenant already in place, which meant we unexpectedly became residential landlords.
None of this was planned. None of it was part of a carefully mapped out set of goals. It all happened gradually, through opportunity, conversation and timing rather than intention.
And that is exactly why reviewing the year matters.
If I only measured this year against the goals I thought I would be working towards, I would miss what actually happened. The decisions made. The adaptability required. The growth that did not show up neatly on a spreadsheet.
A useful review begins with facts, not feelings.
Ask yourself:
What did I set out to do at the beginning of the year?
What actually happened instead?
This might include:
• revenue or income targets
• new clients or projects
• growth in visibility or audience
• changes to services or offers
• improvements in systems or processes
• shifts in confidence or mindset
• changes in personal circumstances
Some goals may have been met. Others may not. Both outcomes are equally valuable.
Wins are not always obvious.
They are not always financial.
They are often quiet.
You might have:
• said no more often
• worked with better aligned clients
• put boundaries in place
• simplified how you work
• stayed consistent through uncertainty
• adapted when plans changed
These wins matter. They show growth, resilience and learning, even when they were not part of the original plan.
This is one of the most important parts of a review.
What did you plan to do this year that did not happen?
And why?
Was it time?
Energy?
Confidence?
Clarity?
Support?
Or did your priorities simply shift?
There is no judgement here.
This is where insight lives.
Sometimes what we do not do tells us more than what we achieve.
Results are always supported or restricted by structure.
Ask yourself:
Did I have the systems I needed this year?
Did my processes support me or slow me down?
Did I feel organised or reactive most of the time?
Whether you use HubSpot, spreadsheets, notebooks or a mix of everything, this reflection helps you understand what needs strengthening next year.
This is just as important as the numbers.
How did your work feel this year?
What drained your energy?
What supported it?
What brought a sense of ease or satisfaction?
A successful year is not only about output.
It is also about sustainability.
A review is not an end point. It is a bridge.
Once you understand what worked, what did not, and why, planning becomes clearer and more grounded.
You are no longer guessing.
You are responding to lived experience.
The most useful goals for next year are shaped by:
• what you learned this year
• what you want more of
• what you are ready to let go of
• what support you actually need
Progress is rarely linear.
Growth often happens sideways or in unexpected ways.
Reviewing your year is not about finding fault.
It is about finding clarity.
Before you plan what comes next, take time to honour where you have been.
That understanding will make everything that follows more meaningful.