It's the Two Minute Warning for the Year 2023 by Marc LeVine

Life is a lot like football. Each year we tackle new challenges; run through our daily affairs; pass the potatoes with family; catch a few colds; and win some and lose some. These are the football-like "moves" we often take without much thought. But as the 2023 "season" (of life) comes to a close, it's important to take a “time out” and “go to the videotape” to review our growth over the past year. If we don't take the time to learn from our past mistakes, we're bound to repeat them in the future.

To take control of your career development, you need to identify what you can do differently in the coming year. Take this opportunity to review the last 12 months, analyze what worked and what didn't, and apply those lessons moving forward. Here are three steps to get started on your own "year in review":

1. ?Time Out!

In the midst of the year-end rush, it's crucial to slow down and gain perspective. By recognizing our successes, we can build on our strengths. And by acknowledging our mistakes, we can learn from them and avoid repeating them.

Action: Review the Last Play

Find a quiet space where you can think deeply without interruptions. Set a timer for each question to ensure you give it enough thought. Use your calendar for reference and consider mind maps or free-writing to capture your insights. Ask yourself these questions:

- When did I learn the most this year?

- What am I most proud of?

- Who has supported me in my success?

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- How have my strengths contributed to my achievements?

- What's one thing I wish I had done differently?

2. ?Instant Replay!

Reviewing your progress is more effective when you take a step back and evaluate your journey.

Action: ?Analyze

Schedule time for you and your playback partner to answer the following questions together. As each person shares their responses, the role of the partner is to listen and contribute any additional insights they have based on their own experience.

What three words would you use to describe the last year?

What have you found most fulfilling — and most frustrating — over the last 12 months?

When do you think you’ve been at your best this year?

What confidence gremlins (i.e., beliefs that hold you back) have gotten in your way?

What’s the most useful thing you’ve read, watched, or listened to over the year?

3. Prognosticate

After taking the time and effort to evaluate your year, the priority is to turn the awareness you’ve gained into useful action for the future. Fast-forwarding is how we start to be specific about the commitments we want to make for our development. Unrealistic developmental to-do lists become demotivating over time. Instead, we need to find focus and be pragmatic about what’s possible.

Action: Zero In

The focus finder tool acts as a forcing function to identify the most important action you want to take across a few different areas. The statements are designed to be deliberately definitive, using “I will” to frame your thinking. We suggest saving your answers somewhere you will see them frequently to act as a regular reminder.

• One learning goal I will make progress on in the coming year:
• One habit I will commit to:
• One person I will have a curious career conversation with:
• One way I will support someone else:

One mistake I won’t make again:

While the reality of work can feel especially overwhelming at the end of the year, reflection is the key to doing things differently in the year to come. Taking the time to review your year increases your self-awareness and provides insights to improve, which is perhaps the best gift you can give yourself.

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The Author

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Marc LeVine is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions Manager at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021.

Marc's prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ