If you read the title and you’re around my age you can probably hear the song in your head right now (you’re welcome). It is indeed closing time! Why else would I be posting a blog on New Year’s Eve?
I’m not aware of any successful business or organization that does not officially close their year out. It is a way to start the new year focused and devoid of loose ends, clutter, and follow-ups from the previous year. Even my former Police Department closed out the year in some capacity.
The practice of closing out your year on a personal level has the same effect. Take a moment to envision your personal life as if it was a business and you’re the boss! With that perspective, I think you’ll agree there is tremendous value in closing out your year and planning the next one.
If you’ve never done this before there are many different ways to approach the “nuts and bolts” of executing this. As you know, I am a systems guy. Assuming they coincide with your objectives the more effective systems you implement (and constantly evaluate) in your life, the more successful you’ll be.
If you have read any of my previous blogs, you know my philosophy surrounding systems is to evaluate a couple of different ones. Eventually, you’ll find the one that works for you or develop one that works for you using the best components of other systems. My process for closing out the year is no different.
My personal process was heavily influenced by John Maxwell and Jesse Itzler. I also added a few nuggets of my own and still integrate things that make sense that I stumble upon in my daily reading.
My process starts with the physical closing of the year. Take a day to go through your home, car, and office and eliminate clutter. Donate old clothes or items you no longer use. Reorganize your office and any other areas of your home that impact your daily operations. Toss or recycle clutter and restock any supplies you routinely use.
Next, repeat the process with your email. Go through your email accounts and archive, respond, or delete your messages. Your goal should be to start the new year with zero items in your inbox waiting for you on day one. Audit your subscriptions and unsubscribe from those spam sales accounts that clutter your inbox throughout the year.
Repeat this process with your phone. There are names, numbers, and contacts in your phone that you haven’t interacted with in years. Delete them. You made it this far, you’ll be fine without that person in your phone. It kinda feels good lightening the load right?
Now that you’ve physically and electronically streamlined and decluttered, it’s time to assess what happened in your life the previous year. You’ll want to gather any old calendars, to-do lists, budgets, journals, etc that you kept throughout 2024.
You’ll also want a legal pad or some other way of taking notes. If you saw me present in 2023 to 2024; yes…I’m back to using the Remarkable 2. Jot down the following categories:
Gratitude
Accomplishments
Milestones
Proudest Moments
People I spent time with (plus amount)
Places that made a positive impact
Important events
Top time expenditures
Family moments
Spiritually significant moments
Health and Fitness
Personal growth
Financial goals and observations
Take some time to go through all the materials you collected. Make notes in the appropriate categories. When you're done evaluate your notes against this set of questions developed by John Maxwell:
What stands out?
What is notable?
Highlights?
How did I grow?
Who did I spend too much time with?
Who did I spend too little time with?
What was a waste of my time?
What didn’t I do that I wish I had done?
What did I do that I wish I had NOT done?
What opportunities did I miss?
Honest reflection and thought are critical in assessing both your wins and losses from the year. Examine which aspirations were achieved and those that you fell short on. Use your results to set the direction for 2025.
Next, it’s time to plan 2025. All credit where it is due, I borrow heavily from Jesse Itzler in my approach. He has a great perspective on time and I’d encourage you to research it. These same concepts have been taught in many ways by many others (for example the famous Stephen Covey “big rocks and little rocks” exercise), but Jesse’s approach just resonates with me.
Don’t underestimate the importance of telling your time where to go versus it telling you where you’re going. I’m sure everyone reading this blog has grocery-shopped with a list and without a list. I’d be willing to bet the trip with the list was cheaper and more efficient, and you didn’t buy a bunch of stuff you didn’t need because you went in with a plan. Same concept, but with a full year of your life.
If you have a crystal clear vision of the direction you want to go, this will go quickly. If you don’t, take some time to envision the ideal “December 2025 you” in your mind. What needs to happen to get there? We’re not setting “resolutions” here, we’re plotting a course for the makeover of our identity to who we want to be.
Once that’s done, pick a year-defining event and put it on your calendar. Put that on before it gets cluttered with work obligations, appointments, etc. Maybe it’s a marathon or a particular hike. It could be that amazing family vacation you’ve always talked about taking. Whatever it is, block it off.
Next, every two months schedule one day or one weekend to try something, go someplace, or take part in a little minor adventure that you normally wouldn’t do. By doing so, you’ll have six mini adventures throughout the year coupled with your year-defining event.
Lastly, pick one new positive habit to implement each quarter of the year. I’m starting with a bedtime habit this year. Sleep and nutritional habits have tended to be the ones I struggle with the most, so that’s what I’m attacking first. By year’s end, I’ll have installed four new positive habits by utilizing the Tiny Habits approach.
Now that the events that have significant meaning to either you personally or your family and loved ones are scheduled, feel free to fill in the work stuff. Add your appointments etc and soon you’ll have the direction for your entire year. Now all you need to do is stick to it and execute.
The final thing I do to close out my year and start the new one light and focused is to select one word that will be the defining theme for the next twelve months. After discussing this with my wife, our 2025 theme is very appropriately “health”. 2024 was a hell of a year. We are going into 2025 with laser focus and intentionality on our physical, mental, and financial health. We will be assessing how we executed in 350-ish short days.
There you have it; a blueprint to closing out your year and planning an amazing 2025 if you haven’t already done so. I’m looking forward to hearing how it went for you. As always, feel free to reach out via email or any of AEI’s social media accounts. Happy New Year to all, have a safe and meaningful day!
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