Thanks to the pandemic, we’re coming up on two highly challenging years for business. But as painful as the pandemic has been, it has forced us to drop outdated ways of operating and embrace technology in a new way. 

In this post, we’ll discuss how to start 2022 powerfully so that whatever happens, you’re ready and positioned for success.

Step One: Review & Celebrate

To start, review 2021 and acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate your wins. 

Ask yourself:

• How have you and your team overcome challenges?
• What has changed in your business for the better?
• How has your team grown and evolved?
• What have you learned?
• What new assets do you have?
• Is there a way that you and your team stepped it up this year?
• What went wrong, and how was it handled?
• What lessons were learned? Improvements identified?

On the path to your goals, there are things you don’t know and don’t know you don’t know. (Learn more about this here.) So, CELEBRATE the fact that you’ve learned the things necessary to take the next steps in business, even if the lessons weren’t exactly welcome at the time. It’s in these challenging moments that you’re in the school of entrepreneurial success. 

The things that didn’t work in 2021 are the raw materials for your success in 2022.

Step Two: Map Your 2022

No one can predict what will happen in 2022, but that doesn’t mean we can’t think through to the end of 2022 and project the year to the best of our abilities. 

Think:

• Where would you like to be at the end of 2022?
• What would you like to accomplish?
• What would make you feel successful?
• What are your goals?

Once you’ve mapped out what a successful end goal is for 2022 (and future-forward your business), you can start breaking it down into projects, action steps, and tasks. Find measurable points to track progress, and be sure to celebrate successes along the way to keep you and your team motivated.

If your goals feel out of reach or you have too many, something I like to remind myself and my clients about is a Dan Sullivan from Strategic Coach quote:

“There’s no such thing as unrealistic goals, just unrealistic timeframes.”

Prioritize your goals – what are the first ones to accomplish? What will move your forward fastest?

Step Three: Find Your “Who”

After you map out your goals with realistic timelines, don’t underestimate the value of collaboration. Find people who have the skills and talents necessary to help you reach your goals, and recognize that, together, you can do so much more (and so much faster!). To learn more about this, bump up the book Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy to the top of your 2022 reading list. Once you have your goals and start mapping your pathway to achieve them, you’ll need the people who can help you get there. 

Remember, what got you to where you are now, won’t get you where you want to be. You’ll need new ways of thinking, new wisdom, and new strategies to break through to the next level. By planning for innovation, change, and success, you’ll be ready for anything and be able to pivot and adjust with ease as the unexpected arises.

There’s more to learn and plan for success in 2022. Future forward your team and business with free weekly strategies, insights, and timely interviews from yours truly by clicking here. Plus receive your free copy of the Never Waste a Crisis ebook.