Reflecting on progress is just as vital as setting goals. As 2023 comes to a close, I will share in this blog a technique anyone can use to measure their progress toward goals. I’ve personally benefited greatly from writing… a lot. If you don’t document your goals, you might never fully realize your achievements. We humans are remarkably adept at downplaying our accomplishments and blaming ourselves. The truth is, we accomplish more in a year than we initially aim for. However, that “more” often doesn’t align with the goals we set at the start of the year.

When reflecting on goals, I prefer to categorize them into four sections: Action, Realization, Procrastination, and Continuation. Let’s delve into each category in detail. I will provide real examples from my own goals set at the year’s beginning to help you understand how you can apply this technique to your annual reflection.

Action

You acted on your goal and took it to finish line.

This goes without saying that no actions mean no progress. If you are seeing zero items in this section then you gotta worry about the way you are setting goals. It may contain items which were not part of your yearly goal setting when you began the year but ended up anyways. Either ways, any progress is good progress.

Examples:

1. Meditation was not in my yearly goal but I ended up making this a practice. I started this late in the year and making sure that I do it 2-3 times a week.
2. I am super proud on another habit that is Journaling. I have not missed a single day since Mar 2023. This was a goal that I had set at the beginning of the year.
3. Other goals that I was able to accomplish is make YT (short) Films, Launch mentoring website
4. Writing more (Not my yearly goal): In addition to Quora, I have started my own blog (this one). This gives me opportunity to write about my favorite topics. I am a very opinionated person; This is the place I take everything out :).

Realization

Learnt new ideas that can potentially have positive impact on your lives but did not take time to practice much.

Realization can come from watching movies, reading books, talking to people, meditation. Any internal or external source, consumed consistently will turn into a new realization. Well, we all have 24 hours in a day and sometimes, are not able to figure out what to do with this knowledge. In that case, I just write that thing down and see if it turns itself into a goal sometime in future, when I am ready.

Examples:

1. I feel more connected with nature that automatically makes me more connected with vegetables, wood, mountains, health, river, etc. Everything that the Earth provides naturally. I am yet to figure out goals that comes out of it.
2. Education reforms are needed. Modern education system is not built to make you the best version of yourself. While, I am yet to figure out what exactly kids should be learning when they grow, they sure have to learn a lot about History of the planet and civilization to appreciate where we are, to question everything and apply First Principal wherever they can.

Procrastination

You are not able to achieve goals that you set up at the beginning of the year

Well, if I truly start writing this section, it will be it’s own blog. We procrastinate a lot, sometimes by choice, sometimes by unawareness, sometimes by prioritization. It is not important “Why” we procrastinate, as long as we know that we “did” procrastinate. We measure everything — the good and the bads.

Examples:

1. I had signed up to participate in a bodybuilding competition mid year but I did not go. Instead, I was on a 1 month RV trip across country. Though, I take pride in the progress I made in personal health, I am not super proud that I could not achieve what I wanted.
2. I finished 16/20 books. I setup an outrageous goal this year from my standards. I failed by a margin I guess. I still learnt a lot.

Continuation

These are not new goals but habits that you continues from previous years.

I do not expect this section to go empty. What is the point if we are not converting goals into habits for life.

Examples:

1. Continue to take care of health: Hitting the gym, learning more about food options, adding other cardio options like swimming, cycling to my routine.
2. Continue to read books — just the type of books I read has changed because I am a changed man, I guess?

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There might be things that cannot be categorized in either section. Little lifestyle changes that happened due to “realization” may never be translated into direct goals. However, you will certainly see them in some of your goals indirectly. For example, learning about healthy food may drive you to set a goal to eat healthy at least 5 days a week. Setting and then tracking goals are very important to live a fulfilling life. In today’s social media world, our lives are very demanding. We barely get time for ourselves, and before we know it — it’s too late. Goals give you 100% control over your life. Someone else is not going to do it for you. It is not optional. If you do not set your goals, someone else will. And I promise you — it will drive you crazy today or tomorrow. Take control of your life and be accountable for self-promises.

“Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor.”

Brian Tracy

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