A while back I read a post by Chris Guillebeau on his blog, The Art of Non-comformity, titled ‘How To Conduct Your Own Annual Review‘. That post has had a big impact on how I transition from one year to the next. I haven’t had a chance this year to work through it yet, but I’m hoping to before the month is out as this could be a really crazy year and I’d like to dive into it with purpose.
I used to think of plans as these ultra-structured, restrictive, life-choking things that control-freaks had to have, but I have since come to realize I need a plan and a structure to feel grounded, and to give me a sense of momentum and accomplishment. I have also found it is much easier and more enjoyable to be spontaneous when you have a plan to depart from. That has been the key to my falling in like with planning, actually – the knowledge that a plan is just a guideline that can be dropped or revised at any time.
Here are some workbooks and stuff that might help you in your review and planning process, should you decide to do it: Unravelling The Year Ahead 2013 Workbook by Susannah Conway, 2013 New Year Guide by Jullien Gordon (have to sign up with name and email to get it), Chris Guillebeau’s Annual Review Template (Excel spreadsheet) and a list of all of Chris’s annual review related posts on AONC. Something else you might find useful is Donald Miller’s MySubplot.com, an online tool for figuring out what kind of story you want to tell with your life.
A belated Happy New Year to Ocsplorers everywhere! May it be our best yet.