In my last blog I introduced the theory of reflection by discussing what reflection is – and, equally as important, what it isn’t.

 

In its simplest form, reflection is “serious thought or consideration” (Oxford English Dictionary).

 

So how should you go about reflecting to achieve the best possible results?

 

Reflect on your goals

Find the best way to reflect on your past business goals. You might want to do this digitally, or you might prefer paper notebooks over digital files. There’s no right or wrong approach – just find the method that works best for you and set aside enough time for this activity. 

 

Recognise your achievements

Make sure you consider all your accomplishments from the previous year; however small they might be. This will probably be hard at first, so here are some questions to get you started:

 

• What new products did you launch?

• What projects did you work on and complete?

• Did you reach a certain milestone you set yourself?

• Have you reached your financial goals? If not, how far away were you from your initial goal?

• Was your business featured in the local magazine/newspaper? 

• Have you met someone who made a huge impact on you and your business?

 

Every small detail that pushed your business forward this past year matters. It’s very easy to forget about all the small things when you get lost in the process of running your business. So, use this opportunity to congratulate yourself. 

 

Evaluate your losses

This won’t be easy, but it’s equally important to conduct a successful business reflection.

 

• Did your new product launch not go as well as planned?

• Have you missed out on certain opportunities because of X, Y, Z?

• Did you receive negative feedback?

• Did you release fewer products this past year than expected?

• Was your revenue lower than expected?

 

Once you’ve recognised your losses and things you wish you’d done better, it’s time to evaluate them. Ask yourself these questions:

 

• What stopped you from fulfilling your goals that failed?

• Was it something you need to do better, or would it be easier if you got help?

• What exact steps do you need to take, so it doesn’t happen next time?

• How did you address the situation when it happened, and how do you wish you’d addressed it instead?

 

Learn, don’t judge – the key to Resilient Reflection!

It’s important to realise that you need to embrace your mistakes and learn from them instead of judging yourself and putting yourself down. This is absolutely vital to enable reflection that leads to improved Resilience. I always define Resilience as “Springing Forward with Learning”, therefore, learning needs ot be the essence and the main point and purpose of your reflections.

 

We have roughly 50 000 thoughts per day and over half are negative and 90% of our thoughts are from yesterday, of which, over half of those will also be negative! As a consequence your reflections need to focus initially and overtly on your successes to enable you to put your losses into perspective.

 

Prepare for yearly goals in advance

Formulating concrete, achievable goals takes time; so give yourself enough space for setting New Year’s or yearly business goals. 

 

Always write down your goals. Even if you know what you want to accomplish, make sure you mark them digitally or on paper. Research shows that people who write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them. And if you’re serious about improving your business next year, start with this simple step.

 

Simplify your goals

The success of your goals is very straightforward - the simpler, the better. You’ll be fairly tuned in with what you want from your business in the future, so use that vision to remove the goals that aren’t important in the next year. 

 

You need a list of concrete and achievable goals. So, think about the next step for your business to take to fulfill the long-term goal. What can you do in the next year to bring you closer to that broader goal? 

 

Track

Use a system that allows you to track and be on top of your goals daily and weekly. Always knowing where you are when it comes to your business goals will let you reflect on your business when the time comes. And it’ll also help you stay on track and make sure you accomplish your goals in time. 

 

Although self-reflection can seem difficult at first, or even selfish or embarrassing, as it doesn’t come naturally, you’ll find it becomes easier with practice and could result in a happier and more efficient you.

 

Look out for further blogs in this series – “Why Is Reflection Important?” and “What Are The Benefits Of Reflection?”

 

If you need further information about this approach, or any other resilience topic, please contact russell@theresiliencecoach.co.uk.