Reviewing the Old Year before planning the New

Scanning through some of the myriad articles on New Year's resolutions, I came across a couple of good ones suggesting that one review the old year before planning the new. The first was an article by Michael Hyatt, who suggests seven questions that one should ask about last year. The second was Ten Treasures to Take Away from 2009, a review of her year by Erin Schreyer.

As it was not only the end of the year but also the decade I decided to review both before making goals and plans for the new year and decade. This turned out to be a rather personal review of a messy time and I was tempted to keep it private but decided that a lesson learned ought to be shared!

I started with Michael Hyatt’s questions:

1. If the last decade were a movie of your life, what would the genre be?

I guess it would have to be tragedy. The decade started with great vision and enthusiasm, but it became a tale of lost opportunity, self destructive behaviour and dreams delayed.

What’s to learn?

The incredible power of habits! When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, bound for the Promised Land, the Israelites took Egypt with them and as a result they got stuck in the Wilderness for forty years. In the same way we come into the Kingdom spiritually renewed, but in our soul – our mind, will and emotion, we carry habits of thought and behaviour that have the power to keep us stuck. Once we understand the power of habits however, we can use that knowledge to build new habits and change our lives. It took me a while, but at least not forty years! (Come to think of it, most of these habits I’d learned by the age of six, so in fact it’s more than forty).

2. What were the two or three major themes that kept recurring?

Procrastination, underachievement, self-recrimination.

3. What did you accomplish this past decade that you are the most proud of?

For the decade, becoming a minister in training, pastor and church planter. And for the year, admitting that I can’t solve all my problems by myself and finding help to do so.

4. What do you feel you should have been acknowledged for but weren’t?

One problem I don’t have!

5. What disappointments or regrets did you experience this past year?

Not having the courage and perseverance to stick to all my plans and resolutions.

6. What was missing from last year as you look back?

Joy, fun & family time.

7. What were the major life-lessons you learned this past year?

If it’s going to be, it’s up to me! (Now I know that to some Christians, that will sound too self centred, but I don’t think it is. Jesus came that we might have life in abundance, but He didn’t take away our free will, we have to take action in order to receive what He offers.)


Key points from Erin Schreyer’s review that resonated with me are the following:

Have a Plan. Be Intentional.

The reason many New Year’s resolutions fail is the lack of resolve. In the past I set many goals without a plan for their achievement or the resolve to do whatever it takes to make them happen and surprise, surprise, they didn’t!

The Power of Identifying Strengths and Leading with Them

I am a great believer in identifying and developing one’s spiritual gifts. I’ve even run courses aimed at helping believers to do so. But have I done all I could have to identify and develop mine? Let’s just say “Could do better.”

Twitter – An Education and a Community-Builder

Erin says “What started as an ‘experiment’ mostly driven out of curiosity, turned into one of the most impactful decisions I made this year. It sounds hard to believe, I know. I still can’t believe it either…but it’s true.”

Personally, I started my own experiment with Facebook about six months ago and with Twitter less than a month ago. They have certainly given the concept of networking a whole new dimension, one that I intend to exploit to the full, although I don’t yet know what that will look like.

Networking and surrounding yourself with good people.

Another of those things that I “know that I know”, but haven’t done, and the reasons are those old habits of self-doubt and procrastination. New habits required!

Believe

Finally, but most importantly, it’s all about belief. Belief in God and in the person He made me to be. When it comes to Resolutions, this will be number one.