The Only Time You Should Look Backwards Is To See How Far You’ve Come

The Only Time You Should Look Backwards Is To See How Far You’ve Come

“Around here we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things” – Walt Disney

It’s hard to believe that 2017 is almost over – another year has flown by. As we prepare for the holidays and some much needed rest, many of us will spend time reflecting on the past 12 months and focusing on what we hope to achieve next year. More often than not, a few resolutions will have slipped, some projects won’t have quite gone to plan, and there will likely have been several disappointments and challenges that tested our resolve.

Whilst taking the time to reflect on setbacks can be beneficial, dwelling on them can leave us feeling unsatisfied and disappointed. It’s also important to focus on the positives, to remind ourselves of the many things that have been achieved during the year, and to be grateful for the things – big and small – that made 2017 successful.

As year-end approaches, I do think that it’s important to make time to plan for next year’s goals and ambitions. Take a moment and ask yourself how you can do things differently in 2018. Keep your thinking positive, and be fair in your goals – have some ‘big, impactful ones’ but ensure you have plenty of smaller ambitions too.

Forget regret

· Let go of the “if onlys” – i.e. “If only I’d walked away from that situation two years earlier…”; “if only I’d put myself forward for that promotion…”.

· Don’t dwell on the negatives in life – think about them, give them the time they deserve and move on. Life’s too short!

Learn from your mistakes

· Acknowledge the lessons you can learn from the past year that will help you achieve your future goals.

· Next time that coveted promotion comes up at work, be bold and throw your hat in the ring.

Celebrate success

· Congratulate yourself on your year’s achievements.

· Give yourself permission to relax at year-end and enjoy some down-time with family and friends, as well as well-deserved and essential “me-time”.

As the year draws to a close, take some time to replenish your batteries so that when you return in the New Year, you’ll not only feel revitalised, but also empowered to take on the opportunities that will come your way in 2018. Reflection is an important way of learning, but equally key is not to waste too much time looking backwards.

Neeha Khurana is International head of Talent at Bank of America Merrill Lynch

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