As we discussed in a previous post, reflecting on your work can drastically improve your career performance. Research conducted at Harvard Business School found that “taking time to reflect on our work improves job performance in the long run” and that “learning from direct experience can be more effective if coupled with reflection”.
Now that we know how powerful reflection can be, what can we do as this year comes to a close and the next begins?
Reflecting on what you’ve learned this past year can help you more clearly see what you need to focus on in the coming year.
To help you out, here are 10 questions you need to ask yourself before the year-end. If you’re a mentee, share your answers with your mentor and get moving on your goals for next year. Likewise, if you’re a mentor, share it with your mentee and help steer them in the right direction for the year to come.
1. What are three accomplishments from this year that you’re most proud of?
Taking note of your proudest moments of the past year can help you better understand how you derive a sense of fulfillment and purpose. How did your accomplishments help move you along the path to where you want to be?
Reflection:
- Deep Dive: Reflect on not just the accomplishments themselves but also the journey that led to these moments. Consider the skills you utilized, the challenges you faced, and the efforts that made these achievements possible.
- Value Addition: Think about the impact these accomplishments had on your personal growth and career advancement. How do they align with your long-term goals, and what lessons can you draw from these successes?
Activity:
- Accomplishment Timeline: Create a visual timeline or list of your top achievements throughout the year. Detail the steps you took to reach each milestone, the skills utilized, and the impact these accomplishments had on your goals.
- Reflective Journaling: Write a reflective journal entry for each significant accomplishment. Describe how each achievement made you feel, what you learned from the experience, and how it contributes to your personal growth or professional journey.
2. Which of your strengths has been best serving you?
We are all born with certain strengths. Identifying what they are and how they serve you can better help you harness them in the future. What are some strengths you have that you like about yourself? How have they helped you move forward?
Reflection:
- In-depth Analysis: Explore your strengths in detail. Identify not only what they are but also the specific situations where they shone the brightest. Consider instances when these strengths brought success and fulfillment.
- Application Focus: Discuss how you can strategically leverage these strengths in the future. Explore new ways to use them effectively or harness them in different aspects of your life and work.
Activity:
- Strengths Inventory: Use a strengths assessment tool like Gallup’s StrengthsFinder or VIA Character Strengths Survey. Identify your top strengths and reflect on specific instances when these strengths were instrumental in your success.
- Feedback Gathering: Reach out to trusted colleagues, friends, or mentors to gain feedback on your strengths. Ask them for examples of when they’ve seen these strengths positively impact your work or personal life.
Suggested reading: The Value In Finding And Using Your Strengths
3. Which of your weaknesses have been holding you back?
Much like strengths, we all have natural weaknesses as well. Being mindful of our blind spots can help us better prepare for them. Which of yours have been hindering you? How can you pivot to either improve them or make them work for, not against you?
Reflection:
- Self-Reflection: Delve deeper into your weaknesses and how they manifested in your experiences this year. Consider instances where these weaknesses posed challenges or hindered progress.
- Action Plan: Develop strategies to address these weaknesses. This could involve seeking training, partnering with others whose strengths complement your weaknesses, or finding alternative approaches to work around them.
Activity:
- Weaknesses Reflection Worksheet: Create a table or document listing your perceived weaknesses and their potential impact. Develop action plans beside each weakness, outlining strategies to either mitigate or address them.
- Feedback Analysis: Request constructive feedback from colleagues or mentors regarding areas where you can improve. Reflect on this feedback and brainstorm actionable steps to overcome or manage these weaknesses.
4. What were your key relationships this year?
Most often, moving forward is a team effort—it takes a lot more time and effort to try and get there by yourself. Who do you have to thank for your forward progress this year? Who helped you get over a setback or gave you the kind words or advice you needed to persevere?
Reflection:
- Relationship Assessment: Consider not just the number but the depth and quality of your key relationships. Reflect on how these relationships impacted your personal and professional development.
- Gratitude Practice: Express gratitude and appreciation to those who supported you. Consider ways to nurture and strengthen these relationships further in the upcoming year.
Activity:
- Relationship Map: Create a visual map or diagram depicting your key relationships. Include individuals who played significant roles in your personal or professional life. Reflect on the depth of these connections and how they influenced your growth.
- Gratitude Letters: Write personalized letters or emails to individuals who positively impacted you. Express your gratitude, mention specific instances where their support or guidance made a difference, and share your appreciation for their presence in your life.
5. How has your career trajectory evolved in the past year? Where do you see it going in the year to come?
To get to where you ultimately want to be in your career, you first need to identify where you need to be at various stages. This can be accomplished by seeing how your peers are progressing, or learning where someone you admire was at when they were as far into their career as you are now.
Reflection:
- Career Reflection: Review your career milestones and growth. Evaluate the skills acquired, experiences gained, and the alignment of your current position with your long-term aspirations.
- Goal Setting: Set clear, achievable goals for the upcoming year based on your reflections. Consider steps to bridge the gap between your current position and your desired career trajectory.
Activity:
- Career Reflection Board: Design a vision board or collage showcasing your career milestones, goals achieved, and aspirations. Use images, quotes, or symbols to represent where you want to be in the future.
- Goal-Setting Workshop: Host a personal goal-setting session. Break down your career aspirations into achievable short-term and long-term goals. Discuss actionable steps to bridge the gap between your current position and future aspirations.
6. What were the biggest obstacles or challenges you faced?
Obstacles will always pop up in our paths, but how we overcome them can truly speak to our fortitude and dedication. What were the biggest challenges you faced this year and what did you learn from them—both about your career and yourself?
Reflection:
- Adversity Analysis: Reflect on significant challenges encountered. Assess the strategies you used to overcome these obstacles and the lessons learned from navigating through them.
- Resilience Building: Consider how these challenges contributed to your resilience and problem-solving abilities. Use these insights to prepare for future adversities.
Activity:
- Obstacle Analysis Chart: Create a chart or table detailing significant challenges encountered. Identify the strategies used to overcome them, the key lessons learned, and how these experiences contributed to your personal growth.
- Failure Redefinition Exercise: Challenge yourself to reframe failures as opportunities for growth. Reflect on a specific setback, analyze what went wrong, and outline actionable steps or changes based on the lessons learned.
7. What is the state of your financial well-being?
While money isn’t everything, ensuring your needs are met and being able to live a life you enjoy is. That’s why it’s important to keep tabs on your financial well-being, and if your career is getting you where you need—and want—to be.
Reflection:
- Financial Evaluation: Evaluate whether your current career is meeting your financial expectations and personal needs. Reflect on whether your financial situation aligns with your lifestyle and future plans.
- Planning Ahead: Consider financial goals for the upcoming year. Explore strategies to improve financial stability, such as budgeting, investing, or seeking additional sources of income.
Activity:
- Financial Health Assessment: Develop a spreadsheet or use budgeting tools to assess your current financial situation. Analyze your income, expenses, savings, and investments. Reflect on whether your financial goals align with your career and life aspirations.
- Financial Vision Board: Create a visual representation of your financial goals and aspirations. Use images or symbols to illustrate your desired financial stability, whether it’s buying a house, saving for retirement, or achieving a specific financial milestone.
8. What are your top three values? How are these serving your work life?
Identifying our values is important, as it can give us insight into what we’re ultimately working for. What would you say are your top three values in life? How are these informing your career?
Reflection:
- Value Alignment: Revisit your core values and assess how they influence your decisions and actions in your career. Reflect on whether your work aligns with these values and brings a sense of fulfillment.
- Integration Approach: Explore ways to further integrate these values into your work life. Consider projects or initiatives that resonate with your values and contribute to your overall satisfaction.
Activity:
- Values Reflection Exercise: List your top three values and reflect on how they align with your work. Write narratives or stories that demonstrate instances where these values guided your decision-making in the workplace.
- Values Alignment Workshop: Host a discussion or workshop with colleagues or friends. Share your top values and encourage others to do the same. Discuss ways to integrate these values into work projects or daily routines.
9. Are you doing work you care about?
Feeling like the work we do matters can give our work—and by extension our lives—meaning and purpose. If you truly care about the work you do, you’ll enjoy an overall sense of well-being that will spill into other areas of your life.
Reflection:
- Meaningful Work Assessment: Reflect on whether your current job provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Consider how your work contributes to your personal growth, the community, or the world at large.
- Purposeful Engagement: Identify areas in your work that align with your passions and values. Determine how you can focus more on these aspects or explore opportunities that align better with your interests.
Activity:
- Passion Mapping Activity: Create a mind map or journal entry exploring your passions and interests. Reflect on how your current work aligns with these passions. Identify aspects of your job that excite or fulfill you.
- Role Redefinition Exercise: Evaluate whether your current role allows you to leverage your skills and passions fully. Brainstorm ways to align your job responsibilities with tasks or projects that align more closely with your passions.
10. What are you most grateful for this year?
Looking back, when did you feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude over the past year? This can be derived from a person, a specific experience, or an acknowledgment of something you accomplished.
Have you set your new year goals with your mentoring partner? If not, connect with them today to set up a time in the coming weeks that works best for both of you. Being able to not only reflect, but discuss your reflections and next year’s goals with someone you trust can truly bring what you want into perspective!
Reflection:
- Gratitude Exploration: Recall moments or experiences that filled you with gratitude. Reflect on how these instances positively influenced your mindset, relationships, or personal growth.
- Gratitude Practice: To cultivate a habit of gratitude by acknowledging and appreciating the people, opportunities, and experiences that enriched your life, consider ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily routine.
Activity:
- Gratitude Journal: Start a gratitude journal to regularly document moments, experiences, or individuals you’re thankful for. Reflect on the impact these instances had on your overall well-being.
- Gratitude Ritual: Establish a daily or weekly gratitude ritual. Set aside a few minutes each day to express gratitude, either through meditation, writing thank-you notes, or simply reflecting on things you’re thankful for.
So there we have it, perhaps try sharing these answers with your mentoring partner or dive into one of the many activities we recommend (there’s over 50!). Or have a read of what our own mentoring experiences have been like, with our Head of Engineering.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Mentorloop has helped over 100,000 people find meaningful relationships which have helped shape their careers, speak to a mentoring specialist today or start building your own mentoring program for your people:
