As part of my commitment to growth and belief in the importance of self-reflection, in 2021, I decided to add an annual retrospective as my last post of the year. By making this the final post in easrly December, I’m able to take the final weeks of the year to reflect, plan, and rest.
The purpose of the retrospective is pulled directly from Agile Methodology. As stated in the Principles from the Agile Manifesto:
At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.
The purpose of the retrospective is to look back on what worked, what didn’t, and collect some thoughts on future actions.
While this post is primarily an exercise for me, I’m also committed to working in public and I hope that seeing the process will inspire you to reflect on who you were this year, and get you thinking about who you want to be next year.
What went well
This year has been among the most successful and rewarding of my career.
- I published my book, The Lovable Leader
- I put together an amazing 2-day book launch event with 17 incredible guests
- Our company Super Productive, in only its 2nd year, officially eclipsed the revenue and profitability of my agency in its 7th year
- I launched Version 1 of Hyperfocus, a Complete Productivity System for people with ADHD
- I conceived of and designed the PMDS productivity system to help Neurotypical and Neurodivergent people work together more effectively in project management tools
- I finally launched my online store The SUPER Market to share and sell the resources I’ve been building for more than a decade
- My newsletter audience grew considerably and both open and click rates are the highest I’ve ever had
- I successfully relaunched my website with a completely new design
- I’ve been more vocal and outspoken about social justice in every activity I take part in
- I spent a good part of the year working with a personal trainer and showing up to do the work 2-4 times per week
- I maintained a 4-day work week all year, and had Daddy-Daughter day nearly every Friday — this is one of the two most important items on this list
- I welcomed our second child into the world — this is the other most important item on the list
All-in-all, a lot of things went well this year.
What didn’t go well
While I went easier on myself this year and refrained from constantly beating myself up, I do have some things I look back on and wish I’d done better.
Many of the items on this list are a natural outgrowth of some of the success from what went well while the rest seem to be part of an ongoing trend — as evidenced by last year’s retrospective.
Looks like I have some work to do in 2023.
- I could’ve done more to promote myself and my book
- I wasn’t always as present at home as I should’ve been
- I could’ve spent more time on some of my important projects (mostly The Superhero Institute and Shareable.fm)
- I didn’t stop to celebrate my wins and as usual just kept moving onto the next thing
- I continue to be too comfortable at home alone rather than reaching out to friends.
- I stopped tracking my habits closely leading me to not drink enough water or learn a new language
- I didn’t pay enough attention to my diet and exercise
I know I can’t be perfect in every aspect of my life, so I’m just going to chalk these up to the reality of being human, and commit to doing better in the future. On the point about promoting myself, this is something that has been a recurring pattern for a long time and I think I’m finally ready to be done with that regret.
Action Steps
I tend to go through cycles of expansion and contraction. I feel as though this past year has been more contracted, so I feel the need to expand once again.
- I’m going to continue to refine my systems to simultaneously allow for greater output and relaxation (active and effective, but not busy)
- I’m going to be more discerning with my schedule in order to have the time for the priorities in my life, both at work and at home
- I’m going to trust more, delegate more, and collaborate more instead of taking too much on my own shoulders
- I’m going to take my physical health more seriously — I’m doing a much better job with my mental and emotional health
- I’m going to prioritize a greater number of relationships than I am currently
My Three Words for 2022: A Review
Author
I’m proud to have released my first book The Lovable Leader this year. I was diligent and promoted it nearly every single day online. I appeared on more than 10 amazing podcasts. Catch up on the episodes here.
If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, you can get it on Amazon or buy it from me directly on The SUPER Market (eBook or signed Paperback).
I’m happy with the number of copies sold (though more would always be better) and the book has opened the door to more speaking opportunities for The Way of the Lovable Leader (Keynote) and The Path of the Lovable Leader (Workshops).
I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity to be the author of my own life and have felt like an Author all year. While there were a lot of things I could’ve done better, I am happy with my first year as an Author.
Reduce
I knew at the start of the year that using the word reduce would be a 365 day battle. I have a compulsion to fill white space in my calendar, and to pursue countless interests at a moments notice. Reducing the number of things on my plate was going to take work.
Given the nature of the challenge, I have to say that I succeeded in the material application of the idea, but still struggle mentally. So while I took things off of my calendar, and did not devote actual time to many of my endeavors, I did still spend a lot of time ruminating on what I should’ve been doing, or how much more I could’ve taken on.
The overall outcome was a step in the right direction. While I feel the call to expand and take on more once again, I am trying to come to grips with the reality that there are only 24 hours in a day, and as I get older I do actually need to sleep.
Delegate
Of my three words, this is the one I am most proud of. Delegation has long been a problem for me, for a variety of reasons.
Much of my work involves things that truly only I could do. Things like writing these posts, for instance. Things like rehearsing my keynotes. Things like writing strategies or designing systems.
For most of everything else, however, I finally started asking for help. I have an amazing team member who helps me manage a lot of my social media graphics, website updates, scheduling, and other things that free me up to have more time for other projects that truly require me.
As it relates to delegation, I’m very happy with how this year went.
Quick Stats
- 73 issues of Becoming Superhuman published (with 37 released on the Becoming Superhuman Podcast)
- 25 episodes of the Shareable Podcasts published
- 13 Published Podcast appearances (and a few that haven’t come out yet)
- 24 books read (so far)
See you in 2023!
This has been the last post of 2022.
My first post will be My Three Words shortly after New Years Day, and then will resume regular posting in the second week of January.
Have a good one.