I hope you had a wonderful 2015, but it’s time to embrace the New Year – 2016!

And if you don’t want to carry last year into the New Year, you need to take some time to process how 2015 went for you.

I already talked about how this process works in Closing the Chapter on 2014, and the questions Michael Hyatt asks himself to ring in a new year.

But in case you don’t remember, let’s take another quick look at what they are:

  1. If the last year were a movie of your life, what would the genre be?
  2. What were the two or three major themes that kept recurring?
  3. What did you accomplish this past year that you are the most proud of?
  4. What do you feel you should have been acknowledged for but weren’t?
  5. What disappointments or regrets did you experience this past year?
  6. What was missing from last year as you look back?
  7. What were the major life-lessons you learned this past year?

Without deliberating any further, I’m going to share my answers with you.

My Answers to the 7 Questions

1. If the last year were a movie in your life, what would the genre be?

  • Action. It was a fast-paced year packed with a lot of work activity, many meaningful moments and breakthroughs, and significant life events.

2. What were two or three major themes that kept recurring?

  • Opportunity. I have never been more in-demand in my life. A variety of opportunities came my way in 2015, and I kept saying “yes” to them – partly out of necessity, partly because of my passion for them.
  • Affirmation. I spent a lot of time talking about entrepreneurship with friends. Time and time again, I affirmed the direction I was heading in, and came to the same conclusion that this is what I need to do with my life.
  • Meaning. Until I started making the money I needed to “really live”, I wasn’t even sure what I was working towards beyond debt freedom. Now my vision is beginning to become more clear.

3. What did you accomplish this past year that you are most proud of?

4. What do you feel you should have been acknowledged for but weren’t?

  • Working out. I’ve been getting in shape. There’s been some acknowledgement, but not much.
  • Adding value to some of the companies I work for. Some have more than acknowledged my value, while others always just ask for more of me.

5. What disappointments did you experience this past year?

  • Not completely eliminating my debt. But I’m so close that it’s hardly a major disappointment.
  • Not getting paid for one of the gigs I played. It’s one thing to stop a show prematurely and acknowledge that it wasn’t a good fit with the venue – quite another to criticize the band for it’s lack of ability and screw them over.

6. What was missing from last year as you look back?

  • Rest. More than anything else, I probably should have taken one or two extended breaks. By the time the second or third week of December had rolled around, I was so overworked that I had multiple migraines (which were likely weather-related too). When you’re not financially stable, you sometimes forget to care for your personal well-being, but it’s still important.

7. What were the major life-lessons you learned this past year?

  • Focus. I’m looking for different results in my entrepreneurial life, and I know that if I keep doing what I’ve always done, I’ll keep getting what I’ve always got. I’m finally ready to try a new approach.
David Andrew Wiebe

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