PSP 2: Reflecting on Your Past
“We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” - John Dewey
I mentioned in my last post that we would not be starting our Personal Strategic Planning with a blank page in the PSP.
And we won't.
One of the activities I ask businesses to do is to reflect on their recent past.
The reason it is important here is that we, as individuals, tend to downplay our successes. Most of us have achieved something significant, even if only for us, yet we downplay it as something anyone could do.
Deep down, you know that is not the case.
Conversely, we are very adept at remembering the smallest error we made back in 3rd grade which still brings us embarrassment.
You need to remember the details of your successes and, yes, some losses, in a more constructive and helpful way.
Step 1: Write
Grab your notebook, or writing app, and what I’m asking you to do is to write down a number of achievements, no matter how small.
Note: You may need to aid of a close friend, spouse or mentor here, as, per above, you may play down your achievements. This is not the time!
You could use getting married as an achievement you have experience in (if you are and it was an achievement! No judgement! 😉) How to do this will follow shortly.
To get the exercise moving, think of around five to ten things you have achieved. Don’t edit your thoughts. Simply write then down.
Here’s a sample list of mine (this is not a time to hide your light under a bushel!):
Designed, developed and conducted Executive Retreats for national financial organisation
Ran my first marathon at 54
Master of Ceremonies at my niece’s wedding
Lead role in a musical (when I really can’t sing!)
Led a sales team that achieved month on month growth for 18 months straight
Now think of two or three losses, hiccups, call them what you will.
Step 2: The Details
Now we are going steal (leverage) a tool many use in recruitment interviews: the STAR technique.
This technique asks candidates to recall something from the past that asks them to convey the Situation they were in, the Task required, (the overall objective) and the Actions they took to achieve a Result.
It's relatively simple and once you get the hang of it, you can apply it to almost anything.
Apply the STAR technique to each of your achievements and losses. We are looking to reflect on what we can learn from our experience.
What was your Situation?
What were you required to achieve? (the Task)
What did you do? (what Actions did you take?)
What was the Result?
Take the marriage example (simplified 😉):
Situation: I met someone who could be "The One"
Task: win the individual over to live happily ever after.
Actions: make contact, establish relationship, meet the parents, ask them to spend the rest of our lives together
Result: wedding bells. 🔔
It is essential you reflect on your achievements which, at one time, were not even in your consciousness. They didn't exist at all. And yet, as you reflect, you realise how you brought these achievements into existence.
They stemmed from persistent thought and action.
The premise of the STAR technique is that it suggests what has happened in recent times can be replicated or repeated.
And so it is with Strategic Planning.
What companies achieve are a result of clear goals and then persistent thought, focus and action. This is a medium to long-term strategy.
Back to your wins and losses.
As you write out the Tasks, Actions and Results you'll begin to see the work you have put in to your achievements. Expect this to be motivating. Let me know if it doesn't light a spark. I would be surprised if it doesn’t.
What will we do with this information?
We will see how we are capable of achieving significant goals.
By listing actions we have taken, we can begin to see how we might approach future goals.
We will uncover solutions now apparent as time and experience has passed.
We will identify areas where we slipped up that we can rectify to minimise or eliminate future losses.
New goals may become apparent.
Summary and Actions
“We do not learn from experience ... we learn from reflecting on experience.” - John Dewey
Reflecting on the past allows us to learn from it. We likely have the skills and knowledge to achieve what we put our minds to.
If we don't have the skills and knowledge there is only one way to get them: by doing them!
We start out as novices in everything we try. It is uncomfortable, we mess up and we can embarrass ourselves.
But what today we find uncomfortable, becomes the experience we reflect on tomorrow and help and support others.
What actions have you taken that have moved you towards your goals or a desired result?
What actions have you taken, or not taken, that have limited you from achieving a desired result? What could you do differently?
What can you do to maximise the good actions and minimise the negative actions?
Who might you ask for help/support?
The next stage of the process is around discovering your Purpose. You may already know this. If so, it may be a time to reflect and tweak.
Defining your Purpose may seem very broad and perhaps a little vague. Yet there are a number of ways to do this that, again, are motiving and clarifying for our future.
See you Thursday!
Bill ❤️