“Lessons, Wins, Changes—and What’s Next”

There’s nothing magical about the date January 1st. But there is something valuable about this time of year. It gives us a natural pause—an opportunity to reflect on what went well, what didn’t, where we’ve grown, and where we still need to improve.

Reflection is powerful. It lets us celebrate the wins and, for just a brief moment, acknowledge the losses. But you don’t want to stay in reflection mode too long, or you could miss the opportunity to make 2026 the best year of your life. And you might as well try—after all, what’s in front of you is all you truly have. The past, whether great or not, is gone. Living in it won’t help your future… or even your present.

Whether you’re someone who writes down New Year’s resolutions or someone who avoids them altogether, this is still a great time to think through a few intentional questions and begin planning for 2026:

1. Write down 3 things you learned in 2025. These could be personal or professional. Maybe you picked up a new sales technique, learned a new skill, or developed a new hobby. Even though I’ve played pickleball for a couple of years, this year I finally learned how to play competitively, and it’s been a lot of fun.

2. Identify your 3 biggest wins of 2025. This is your chance to celebrate. Think back to how you felt when you made that big sale, welcomed a new family member, or completed a degree. Whatever your wins were, take one more moment before the year ends to appreciate them. One of mine was the opportunity to teach a business class for the local chamber—it was a rewarding and eye-opening experience.

3. Write down the 3 biggest changes in your life in 2025. Some of these may overlap with your wins, and that’s great. But some changes are significant even if they weren’t victories. A job change, for example, can be huge—even if it didn’t feel like a “win” at the time.

4. Identify the top 3 things you want to accomplish personally in 2026. Call these goals, intentions, or priorities. Maybe you want to lose weight, run a 5K, improve your health, or spend more meaningful time with family.

5. Identify the top 3 things you want to accomplish professionally in 2026. This could include hitting a sales goal, earning a promotion, launching a business initiative, or strengthening leadership skills.

6. And last but not least, complete this sentence:

“If __________________ happens, 2026 will be a good year.”

Why only three? Because your brain can only manage so much. You need a simple, clear way to judge where you’re going and whether you’re on the right track. You can certainly set more than three goals, but do your best to establish a top three.

As we wind down the year, I hope 2025 was a meaningful one for you—and more importantly, I hope your 2026 becomes your best year yet.