We’re already into the second half of the year. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be wondering where the time’s gone.
The first half of the year feels like it has disappeared in a blur of to-do lists, deadlines, and short weeks that make it hard to get into flow.
But before the year disappears entirely, now is a good time to pause and ask yourself a simple question.
When you sit down on New Year’s Eve and reflect on the year just gone, what would make you feel like it had been a good year?
That’s the question I ask myself at the start of every calendar year and again at the start of the new financial year as I set my business goals.
I don’t set dozens of goals or build out a fancy dashboard. I just look at the year ahead and ask…
What would make this feel like a year I was proud of?
Sometimes, it’s about the type of work I want to be doing.
Sometimes, it’s about the kind of clients I want to attract more of or less of.
Sometimes, it’s more personal: am I spending my time in the right ways, am I staying healthy, am I making space for the things and people that matter?
Sometimes the list is quite long. Sometimes it’s shorter. But I try and keep down to three business or career goals and three personal goals.
They’re not overly specific, but they give me something to come back to when I’m making decisions each day. It might be a reminder that I want more time for advisory work, or that I’m working towards a profit goal, or that I only want to take on clients who are a good values fit.
That’s enough of a compass. It keeps me focused and helps me prioritise.
As I said to a client recently, “It’s easy to say yes to everything when you’re not clear on what you want. But when you know what your priorities are, it’s much easier to recognise what doesn’t belong.”
Planning isn’t just something you do at the start of the year or when your accountant sends you a checklist. It’s something you carry with you throughout the year. It’s not rigid, but it is intentional.
It’s one of the reasons I start each week by taking a look at my goals and making sure my to-do list includes steps that will help me get to where I want to go.
It’s also why I take a pause at the start of each quarter and check in that my goals for the year are still what I really want to prioritise.
So, if the first half of the year has already flown by, and you’re not quite sure where your energy’s going, take ten minutes this week. Grab a coffee, find a quiet space, and ask yourself:
If I’m sitting down on New Year’s Eve looking back on the past 12 months, what would make me feel like it was a good year?
Write it down. Stick it on your wall. Let it guide you, not perfectly, but just enough to keep you on track.
You’ve got plenty of time to make this year great. It might be the beginning of July, but we’ve still got half a year left!
