STUFF I’M FIGURING OUT
Businesses spend considerable time reviewing performance. What worked. What didn't. Where time and money went. What needs changing.
But you don't have to run a business to benefit from the same thinking.
Whether you're leading a company, building a career, running a household or juggling work and life, when did you last stop and properly review how things are going?
Look back to look forward
Before making ambitious plans for 2027, take a little time to understand 2026.
Work. Life. Finances. Health. Relationships. Commitments. The things you wanted to achieve and the things that actually happened.
What went well? What didn't go to plan? Where did your time, energy and money go? What have you learned?
What deserves celebrating?
We're often quick to move on from our successes without properly acknowledging them. Take a moment to enjoy what you've achieved, however big or small.
Then get curious. What made it work? Was it good planning, the right people, a different approach or something else? Could you recreate some of that success elsewhere?
What did the difficult stuff teach you?
Not everything goes to plan. Perhaps you navigated an unfamiliar situation, made some tough decisions or dealt with something stressful or emotionally draining.
What did you learn about handling the situation, finding the right help or managing your own response? What would you do differently next time?
Sometimes the most valuable thing you take from an experience isn't the outcome. It's what you learnt getting through it.
Keep. Improve. Start. Stop.
As part of my KISSology, I use four simple questions to help make sense of things and decide what happens next:
KEEP — What's working well and worth protecting?
IMPROVE — What could work better, faster or more simply?
START — What have you been putting off, or what new opportunity deserves attention?
STOP — What's no longer useful, necessary or worth your time?
It's a simple exercise, but it can reveal quite a lot. Particularly when you're willing to challenge your own assumptions. And you don't need to emerge with a 40-page strategy document. A few clear decisions and a willingness to act on them can be far more valuable.
Make it a habit, not just an annual event
There's something useful about taking stock at the end of a year. But why wait twelve months?
A quarterly check-in can help you see what's changing, what's slipping, what needs attention and whether your priorities still make sense.
It's an opportunity to adjust course, celebrate progress and make better decisions about what happens next.
Because the point of a review isn't simply to look backwards.
It's to make what comes next better.
Sarah Says…
Before deciding what 2027 needs, understand what 2026 taught you. Celebrate what worked, learn from what didn't — and don't wait another twelve months to check how you're doing.
Tell Sarah…
Want a fresh perspective on your work, life or priorities? Let's take stock and figure out what comes next. CONTACT SARAH