This year challenged me more than I could have ever dreamed. Everything I faced outside of work impacted what I could do for my customers and for the growth of Red Direction. Sitting in the uncomfortableness of the unknown became my norm. The questions took up all my mental and emotional resources, and I actively worked to just get time-sensitive stuff done.
This moment is a powerful invitation to pause and reflect on our journeys over the past year, a practice that empowers us to take control of our growth and development.
- What have you learned? How have you grown?
- And what will you choose to bring to the next phase of your business?
- Do you want to improve? Do you want to practice stability? Do you want to grow?
Reflection is more than a process; it’s a profound tool that allows us to understand our experiences better —acknowledging and learning from the peaks of our successes and the valleys of our challenges.
October looked at me from the calendar, and the feelings were very potent. Trials I faced formidably and successfully years ago popped into my thoughts. These difficult past periods of time (some of them spanned years) were before I chose to prioritize reflection as part of my work cadence.
Acknowledging those unexpected thoughts I carried forward from past reflections surprised me, as they:
- Reminded me of the wins when I felt everything was forfeit.
- Showed me what I did to become who I am today.
- Emphasized that the intention and discipline to keep going was fuel for what was coming next.
December 2024 is here; without reflecting on this year, how do you know your priorities at the start of 2025?
As the end of the year approaches, we can seize this opportunity to engage in deliberate introspection, diving deep into our lives to uncover valuable insights that will guide us forward.
Describing the past year can indeed be an intricate task.
It was filled with many highs and lows, moments of triumph and feelings of defeat. Instead of trying to capture the entirety of this year in a single narrative, consider how the events, experiences, and individuals in your life have influenced your emotions. Focus on the feelings that arose in response to both achievements and setbacks.
With the transition to a new year, a sense of exhilaration often fills the air — an electric feeling unique to this time. It’s likely because we subconsciously prepare to close one chapter and eagerly anticipate the next. Yet, along with that excitement numerous questions can surface, like “What if I had done things differently?” or “What if I had taken that opportunity?” … leading us to confront our doubts and fears.
In these moments, it’s crucial to remember your inherent worth.
You are valued and deserving of recognition. Don’t shy away from stepping into the spotlight; let your voice be heard and your presence felt.
You possess the resilience to continue moving forward despite the obstacles. Resist the urge to succumb to feelings of hopelessness or defeat. Instead, view these reflective questions as a chance to explore the deeper reasons behind your failures and successes.
Prioritizing reflection allowed me to tap into more of myself to consider big questions:
- Where am I right now?
- What is demanding my attention, and is it in my control?
- What can I do to adjust and direct the energy toward my goals?
Without my reflection practice, I couldn’t confidently share what 2025’s shape is. I’d be winging it … and while that is one of my strong skills, it isn’t sustainable. That was a hard lesson I learned, and I hope to help you avoid experiencing it firsthand.
Achieving lasting success necessitates more than merely following your passion. It requires a multifaceted approach to resilience, strategy, and personal growth.
Here are some key lessons I’m taking away from this year, each of which can serve as a guiding principle for both myself and others as we navigate the journey ahead:
- Life will happen. Having worked a scenario for stepping away or defining the bare minimum helped me adjust quickly to unimaginable situations.
- Focus on what is controllable. Generative and protective, limiting where you spend your resources allows you to see what is possible much more quickly and with less effort.
- It’s ok when life and goals seem at odds. Embrace the time and energy you do have, knowing that putting something on hold is not the same as letting it go.
- Normalize having real conversations. Being open about what you can and can’t do (or are willing to do) builds deep trust in yourself and with others.
- Reflection unifies your experience to your worldview. The more you reflect, the more you find the right situations aligning to move toward your goals.
- Achievement may not look or sound like what was planned. Yet it still can happen — awareness will help you identify what is completion.
Looking forward, Red Direction’s focus in 2025 is QUALITY.
In addition to our core work driving solutions and leadership, our attention will be to:
- Developing more on-demand ways to leverage all the seasons of the BOLD Business Podcast.
- Implement infrastructure updates already in the queue.
- Focus on using YouTube to reach more people so that our content and services will be beneficial.
You might say “Just three things?”
Yes. That will break down into several milestones per quarter. This is on top of other business areas that have their own items for this year (e.g., customer service, marketing, emceeing)
With the New Year on the horizon, I am filled with enthusiasm and anticipation. I have ambitious plans for the upcoming year, and I hope you do too.
In fact, I want to hear about what you are working on next year. Get in touch via email or on social media, and share what you have, even if it isn’t “complete.”
As you read this, I’m still contemplating the questions and unknowns. I’m (sort of) OK with it. In fact, I’m just impatient to embark on our individual journeys together — with the excitement of possibility.
Cheers to what’s coming next!
*******************
Jess Dewell is a professional who has been navigating the intersection of operations and strategy for more than twenty years. She helps organizations move forward by identifying the sweet spot where strategy catalyzes operations, fosters innovation, and drives businesses to the forefront of their industries.
Jess is committed to helping businesses turn challenges into scalable opportunities and constraints into springboards for growth. Contact her for a complimentary call, or find her on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Check out her Driving Solutions Strategic Intensive program if you need help with strategic growth challenges.
