Design the Year You Want: Planning for Upcoming Year
December is the perfect time to look ahead. As the saying goes, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Thoughtful planning turns your ambitions into actionable steps, helping you build momentum before the new year even begins. Studies show that people who set clear goals and plans are 42% more likely to achieve them. Why not give yourself that advantage?
In the previous article, we covered the annual review, and we spent time with some questions and thought starters on how to review. Now we can do a similar activity to look forward. Effective planning begins with clarity. What do you want to accomplish by the end of next year? More importantly, how do you want to feel along the journey? Taking time now to envision the year ahead helps align your actions with your priorities, ensuring you invest your energy where it matters most.
This is not a calendar drill
This isn’t about filling your calendar with tasks or chasing someone else’s idea of success. It’s about crafting a vision that reflects your values and inspires you to show up as your best self every day. Planning isn’t just practical; it’s empowering. Using similar tools and resources from Year-End Review Tips for Leaders: 10 Questions to Guide You, get ready to explore some questions to look ahead and create the year you want.
Question you can use to build the year you want
1. What is my vision for the year ahead? What will things look like in December 2025?
Imagine completing the annual review process a year from now.
What will you be reflecting on? Build the vision for what that looks like now.
2. Who do I want to spend more time within the upcoming year? Why?
Refer to your work from the annual review, who did you mention there?
Can you spend more time with that person in the coming year?
Are there other people like that you should connect with?
3. What do I need to show up as my best self?
What changes can you make that allows you to be your best?
Are there barriers (could also be people) in your life that are holding you back?
What it would it look like if you were your best self?
Consider what new habits or routines would be beneficial.
4. What would make me feel proud in 2025? Similar to question 1, but more about how you feel about achievements?
Pride is a powerful feeling. Imagining it can propel you to do amazing things.
What are those things for you? For next year?
5. Are there a couple of words that define what you want the new year to feel like?
Some people stick to a single word to really align to for their year. For example, mine is ‘intentional’. I want to do things with specific purpose and intention. This will apply to both my professional and personal life.
Take the information you have captured from the previous questions and your vision of the year. Can you summarize that into a word or two?
Is there something that is actionable for you that will unlock the vision?
Other ideas for looking forward
The questions above are a good way to get started, but you may want to build on them further. The same open page approach I mentioned for the annual review may be useful here as well. Or do some research on putting together a vision board. This allows you to begin capturing images, ideas, articles, or people that you want to revisit throughout the year ahead. You can still use something like the Freeform app, or Miro, Canva, and even Pinterest. All can be excellent tools for capturing things in one place.
In the final article of this series, we will take the look back at your work, your ideas and your vision for the year ahead and distill those into goals for the upcoming twelve months. Goal setting turns ideas into action. The planning work cannot be underestimated, though. It can be a difficult exercise. It does take patience and discipline to sit and think through ideas that seem like they should be easy. Plus, it often feels like we should just be able to do them as we go. Why invest valuable time now for things coming in weeks or months? That is how we end up looking back and wondering where did the time go. Planning ahead will make a difference. It allows you to realize your best self and accomplish big things in the next year.
Have you scheduled your planning session?
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