The December Year-End Review: Seven Key Questions
Seven Questions To Ask Yourself Every December
For more than 15 years, I’ve set aside time each December for an annual review. This practice has helped me navigate career transitions, nurture key relationships, and stay focused on what truly matters in the year ahead. By conducting a thoughtful review before the rush of January, you can begin the new year with clarity and intention, rather than scrambling to piece together last-minute resolutions.
Late December is ideal for this exercise. Even if your calendar is busy, the natural end-of-year slowdown typically allows a few hours for a deep dive into your accomplishments, challenges, and future goals. Setting aside time now ensures you’ll hit the ground running when everyone returns to work at full speed in January.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with different approaches to my year-end review. The following questions have proven to be the most effective and insightful. To get the most out of them, I recommend dedicating at least four uninterrupted hours, ideally in one sitting.
The Seven Key Questions
1. What did I accomplish? (45 minutes)
Give yourself enough time to reflect broadly.
15-20 minutes: List all the wins—big or small—that mattered this year.
Remainder: Group these achievements into themes (personal, professional, community, health) and consider why they mattered. What do they reveal about your strengths and values?
2. What were my biggest disappointments? (30 minutes)
Acknowledge what fell short without fixating on the negative.
15 minutes: Identify moments or outcomes that disappointed you.
Remainder: Focus on the lessons learned. Were there patterns that kept appearing? Recognizing these will help you avoid similar pitfalls in the future.
3. What made me happy? (25 minutes)
Celebrate the sources of joy.
Pinpoint the projects, relationships, activities, or habits that brought genuine happiness.
Look for patterns and consider how to integrate more of these elements into the coming year.
4. What made me unhappy? (25 minutes)
Likewise, identify the triggers of negativity.
Reflect on the causes of stress, frustration, or sadness.
Consider strategies to mitigate or eliminate these factors. Can you delegate certain tasks, restructure commitments, or change routines?
5. What did I learn? (35 minutes)
Pull insights from the entire year.
Distill lessons from your accomplishments, disappointments, and day-to-day challenges.
These lessons will guide your decisions and approach next year, helping you build on what worked and sidestep what didn’t.
6. What do I want to achieve next year? (35 minutes)
Set your sights forward.
Brainstorm broadly at first, listing anything you hope to accomplish, improve, or try.
Then refine by grouping similar goals together to find overarching themes.
7. What are my top 3-5 goals for next year? (45 minutes)
Narrow it down.
From your brainstorming in the previous step, choose the 3-5 goals that resonate most strongly with your priorities and values.
Consider what habits or support you’ll need to make them happen.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Review
Protect your time: Schedule a four-hour block—treat it like any high-value meeting. While it might feel strange to dedicate work time to self-reflection, this investment pays off by bringing sharper focus and more deliberate action into your professional life.
Change your environment: Choose a quiet spot away from your usual workspace. A new setting can spark fresh insights and help you see the past year from a different perspective. A coffee shop, a library, or even a quiet corner in your home can help break habitual thought patterns and unlock new ideas.
This December review process isn’t about piling up regrets or creating unrealistic resolutions. It’s about understanding where you’ve been, what you’ve learned, and where you want to go. This December, take the time to honor your journey, celebrate your growth, and step into the new year with purpose and confidence
I always love your year-in-review questions! Thanks for sharing <3