Performance reviews for solopreneurs 101

Photo by Alex Lvrs on Unsplash

December is a key month for entrepreneurs to review what they did and/or didn’t do as intended. I like to squeeze as much juice as possible from my learnings, powering up for what comes next.

Performance review 4-step

Check goal progress.

In 2023 my goals were in 3 key areas, based on core values: Business, relationships and wellness. I have major milestones for each.

Reflect on goal progress.

What were key wins, losses, surprises and learnings for each major goal and milestone? I reflect on what made me more or less successful.

Prep final (December) moves.

How can I work smart to close outstanding gaps in <1 month? Annual planning is a marathon or a dance, and I want to end strong.

Zoom out and look ahead.

What were my big picture learnings? How will I integrate these into my plans for the following year? I make a note to come back.

That’s it! C’est simple by design.

Tips on goal setting to pair with the above

• If you crushed it early or the winds were on your side, hopefully you seized the opportunity to upward adjust or close a different gap, staying true to the original spirit. Think bold and full-bodied over heady.
• Some goals can be quantitative, some qualitative. Either way I use objective, external measures of change, including when the thing I want to change is internal or experiential. If you want to be more confident for example, what in your work/life will go differently?
• I find that setting a few high level, creatively challenging goals works best. Then you can strategize, innovate and adjust nimbly to fulfill them, whatever that takes.
• Got crushed or the winds were NOT on your side so far this year? Don’t give up. Challenges and constraints (in the form of firm goals and standards) support growth, resilience and creativity. Adapt your approach, not the what.

Love them or love to leave them, structured reviews ground blue sky visioning. So squeeze that juice — and bottom’s up.

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