Loading...
December 26, 2024 • 52min
How to Make Next Year the Best Year: Ask Yourself These 7 Questions
The Mel Robbins Podcast
In this episode, Mel Robbins shares her annual end-of-year audit process that she has done with her husband for 20 years and now does with her adult children. The process involves asking yourself 7 specific questions to review the past year and create directions for making the next year your best year yet. The audit helps you tap into your own wisdom and experiences to create a deeply personal roadmap for the future.
How to Make Next Year the Best Year: Ask Yourself These 7 Questions
0:00
-0:00
Key Takeaways
- The Annual Audit Process involves asking yourself 7 key questions to review the past year and plan for the next one
- Looking backward at the past year is critical before planning ahead - most people make the mistake of jumping straight to future goals
- Your phone's camera roll and calendar are essential tools for jogging your memory about the past year's events and experiences
- The process helps create personal "directions" for making next year your best year by understanding where you are now and where you want to go
- Areas of friction or frustration in your life indicate you may be in the "wrong seat on the bus" and need to make changes
- The Stop-Start-Continue framework from business planning can be applied effectively to personal goal-setting
Introduction
In this episode, Mel Robbins shares her annual end-of-year audit process that she has done with her husband for 20 years and now does with her adult children. The process involves asking yourself 7 specific questions to review the past year and create directions for making the next year your best year yet. The audit helps you tap into your own wisdom and experiences to create a deeply personal roadmap for the future.
Topics Discussed
The Importance of Looking Back (0:00)
Mel explains that the biggest mistake people make when planning for a new year is jumping straight to future goals without first understanding where they are and what they've learned from the past year. She emphasizes that:
- 95% of experiences from the past year are forgotten without intentional review
- Creating "directions" for the future requires knowing both where you are and where you want to go
- Your own life experiences provide the wisdom needed to create meaningful change
Using Your Camera Roll as a Memory Tool (8:00)
Mel demonstrates how reviewing photos from the past year can unlock forgotten memories and insights:
- Photos jog memories of experiences, celebrations, and meaningful moments
- The number and types of photos can reveal patterns about how you spend your time
- Looking at photos chronologically helps piece together the full story of your year
The Seven Key Questions (16:00)
Mel outlines the seven questions that form the foundation of the annual audit:
- What were the highlights from the past year?
- What were some of the hardest parts?
- What did you learn about yourself?
- What are you going to stop doing?
- What are you going to start doing?
- What are you going to continue doing?
- What can you do today to take that first step?
Highlights and Hard Parts (24:00)
Mel shares examples from her own year's highlights and challenges:
- Highlights included:
- Publishing The Let Them Theory book
- Climbing Mount Katahdin with family
- Creating a cutting garden
- Hard parts included:
- Becoming an empty nester
- Her father's surgery and recovery
- Supporting children through difficult life experiences
Learning About Yourself (32:00)
Mel discusses key personal insights gained through reflection:
- Recognizing when you've outgrown certain roles or responsibilities
- Understanding patterns in how you respond to stress
- Identifying areas where you need to make changes
- "Any area of your life where you feel friction or frustration, you're in the wrong role"
The Stop-Start-Continue Framework (40:00)
Mel explains how this business planning tool can be applied personally:
- Stop: Identify behaviors or situations that no longer serve you
- Start: Choose new actions aligned with your goals
- Continue: Maintain positive practices that work well
- Focus on specific, actionable changes rather than vague resolutions
Taking Action (50:00)
Mel emphasizes the importance of immediate action:
- Identify one small step you can take today
- Use your calendar to schedule important priorities
- Share the audit process with family and friends
- Review your answers regularly throughout the year
Conclusion
The annual audit process provides a structured way to learn from the past year's experiences and create meaningful directions for the future. By answering the seven key questions and using tools like your camera roll and calendar, you can tap into your own wisdom to make next year your best year yet. The process is most powerful when shared with others and reviewed regularly throughout the year.