Your Year-End Checklist

VICTORIA BROWN | DECEMBER 2023

Sorry? It's the beginning of December???? Jumpscare - one month left of 2023 and then you'll be typing 2024 🫠 

As we dash into the final lap of the year, it’s tempting to lose ourselves in the mad rush of closing deals, wrapping up projects, and setting new year resolutions. But hold up, the closing months aren't just about racing through a flurry of tasks but about smart moves. It's time to hit pause, review what you've achieved and learnt and start planning for 2024. Here's your definitive checklist to close out 2023. 

🔍 REFLECTION

It's time to learn from the year so far.

• DRAW ME LIKE A FRENCH GIRL (and when I say "french girl" I mean a really sexy smooth line graph). If you had to draw the year represented as a line graph, with the vertical axis being enjoyment and horizontal axis being time - where would the peaks and highs be? Where would the lows be?Those "I wish I had a manual" moments? Why did you define them like that and what did you learn from these moments? And don't skimp out on the learnings, don't be shallow and say things like "Oh I learnt not to speak my opinion in front of this person" - coach yourself for the deeper insights and the REAL learnings. Perhaps it's more about how you conveyed your message, or you provided an opinion without asking better/enough questions to have a valid opinion OR maybe you just were in the tough position of saying hard truths to someone that wasn't ready to hear them. Plenty to learn in all of those situations.
• GOOD OLD FASHIONED SWOT. Get SWOT-ing: Sketch out your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Personal SWOT is your compass. Did a strength uncovered in January become your superpower in July? Or did a threat recognized in March never really materialise?
• LIST THE LEARNINGS. Ok, wrap it all up now - list what you’ve learned, professionally and personally. What learnings felt like a lightning bolt in the moment? What learnings took a bit longer to uncover? What learnings are going to have the biggest impact for you moving forward?

👥 TEAM VIBES

• SWOT it like it's hot: Yup, it’s not just you on the SWOT train. Where did your team collectively shine, and what tripped you up?
• Celebrate good times! Recognise the wins, the saves, the near-misses-turned-victories. Create a culture of appreciation. No win is too small to cheer on collectively.
• Holiday Alignment: make sure you're all on the same page when it comes to the upcoming break. What are the deadlines and projects to be delivered before you break and are they feasible? Does anything need to be done during break and who is owning it? And does it reeeeeeeeeeally need to be done during break or could it be schedule earlier or later. 

🎯 SHORT + MID TERM GOALS

• GOALS FOR ME
  • Ooooookay - December, what THREE goals do you want to achieve? Let's try and stick with MAXIMUM three, because it's achievable and that's going to keep you motivated to crush these last few 2023 goals.
  • Looking ahead a bit further, let's start thinking about 2024. What are you goals for next year, and how are you setting yourself up for success? Watch my "Create Your 2024 Growth Plan" workshop if you need some support.
• Now let's do the same for our TEAM!
  • For 2024, it's likely you've already worked on your planning, but in-case you haven't - run a strategy session with your team where you identify the commercial goals [e.g. revenue, # customers needed to hit that goal] and then the tactical plan needed to deliver those. 
  • Lock in your strategy and targets for next year.

🎉 Bright Lights Ahead

• How are you going to rest and refresh yourself over the break? 
• How are you going to celebrate and treat yourself for all you've achieved this year?