A ship's captain doesn't spend time staring at the ocean behind him; where the ship is going is a lot more important than where its been. If the captain is preoccupied with what's behind him, he won't see the obstacles ahead in time to change course.

But that doesn't mean he ignores where he has been. He keeps his focus on what's ahead but also maintains the ship's log and refers to it when he needs to look back.

Annual reviews work much the same way. We shouldn't dwell on our prior failures and successes in life but we should keep a running log of where we've been.

By recording our goals and then reviewing what happened, we gain valuable insight into how we respond to changing conditions of life. Every year we get a little better at navigating the ocean of existence and adjusting our course for the future. Continue reading →