Refocus with Purpose in 2021

It’s a new year. While 2020 was not the year any of us were expecting, a new year always provides us a great opportunity to reflect on the year’s past and plan ahead for what’s to come. As leaders, it is important for us to take this valuable time to reflect and use it to inform how we refocus to be more purposeful in our actions, goals, and aspirations.

Below are a series of questions you can utilize to complete a reflection exercise. To do this well, you need to take your time. Do not feel you can rush this and be ready to go. Set yourself up in a comfy space, turn on your favorite music and grab your favorite beverage (may I suggest a cold brew?).

First, let’s reflect on 2020.

  1. What were some moments that made you proud in 2020?

Think about the moments where you were living with purpose, maximizing your leadership strengths, celebrate your successes and the successes of others and organizations you are a part of

  1. What were some moments that taught you the most in 200?

Think about pivotal moments that changed your perspective, lessons learned from when you may have made a mistake or misstep, moments you witnessed with others or organizations made a mistake or misstep, historical moments, etc.

  1. Do you feel you lived with purpose as a person and leader in 2020? If you did, how. If you did not, what happened?

Now, let’s refocus for 2021.

  1. What do you hope to bring into 2021?

Utilize question one from the 2020 reflection to help answer this. What did you learn from those moments that made you proud.

  1. How do you hope to refocus in order to be more purposeful as a person and leader in 2021?

Think about your actions, behaviors, intentions to create positive change for yourself and others. Utilize your question two from the 2020 reflection to help answer this.

  1. How can you inspire or encourage those you lead to do the same?

Remember, in order to do this, you have to model the behavior for them.

  1. Who and what can help you refocus in 2021?

Now, take a deep breath and thank yourself for taking the time to do this reflection. I hope by doing it you were able to see how you can take what you have learned and use it to refocus in order to start the year on the right path.

So, what’s next? It’s time to use this reflection to set some timely goals for yourself to better align your actions and take some time to share this reflection with people who you feel can help you along the way. It may be awkward at first, but a strong support system will make all of the difference.

Good luck, friend! Let’s make 2021 a great year.