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As a business owner, I love this time of year.  I find it a great opportunity to reflect on the year that’s been and plan for the year ahead.  

This week, I want to share with you the process Rob and I use at the end of every financial year (and also at the end of every calendar year).  

There are two parts to this process.

Part one is to REFLECT. Part two is to PLAN.

One thing I’ve learned over decades of personal development and running businesses, is the best precursor to planning is acknowledging what we have achieved and expressing gratitude for those things. 

The Value of Reflection

Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes.

Lawrence Bossidy, Author and Businessman

Truth be told, reflection is the biggest part of my process. 

It is only by truthfully acknowledging my triumphs and challenges, my wins and my learnings, I can plan forward towards my goals from a place of reality.

Here are the 10 reflection questions I ask.  

This year:

1. What have I achieved personally?
2. What has the business achieved?
3. What have been my greatest personal challenges?
4. What have I learned about myself through these personal challenges?
5. What changes have I made in my life because of these challenges?
6. What have been my greatest business challenges?
7. What have I learned about myself through these business challenges?
8. What changes have I made in my business because of these challenges?
9. Who have been my greatest supporter/s this year?  How have they supported me?  
10. Who have been my greatest challenger/s this year?  How has their challenging me actually helped me to grow?

These reflection questions help me to see that even the “worst” things I’ve experienced are actually a blessing and therefore an opportunity for me to be exceedingly grateful.

I invite you to pause here and answer these 10 questions before you read on.  

Hasn’t the 2021 FY been a great year!

The Value of Looking Forward

Now you’ve reflected, let’s look at the questions you need to ask yourself so that the 2021 financial year is even better, with the hindsight of the achievements of the last financial year.  

The 5 questions are:

1. What do I want to achieve personally?  I discussed this step in detail in this blog. What you want to achieve – for yourself, and for your family – becomes the driver for the next question.
2. What does the business need to achieve to help me achieve my personal goals? What net profit? What gross profit? What revenue?
3. What things do I need to focus on to achieve that – leads, conversion, average $ spend, repeat business, productivity etc
4. What resources do I need to achieve this?
5. Whose help do I need to enlist to help me achieve this?

On behalf of the team at Kaibizzen, I wish for you an amazing 2022 financial year.  I trust it is your best ever.

If you’d like to know how Rob and I could work with you to ensure you make the 2021FY the year you achieve your goals, get in touch. We’re here to support you achieving the business and the life you and your family deserve.