As a leader, I am always on the search for powerful questions that can unlock the door to new levels of personal and professional growth for myself and others. The right question asked at the right time can be the difference between grand new possibilities in life and more of the same old stale stuff in life. And because it is the end of an old year and the beginning of a new year, I am especially open to seeking, finding, and asking some new questions that will unleash extraordinary new possibilities for myself and others in the new year.

We Have Not Because We Ask Not

The Bible says in James 4:2 that, “we have not, because we ask not”; therefore, as we begin this new year, let us ask ourselves and others the right questions that can lead us into greater levels of personal and professional excellence in the new year. To help us do just that, I discovered 20 questions that every leader should ask themselves at the end of each year so they can be better prepared to grow in the new year. These 20 questions were initially found on Paul Sohn’s blog at http://paulsohn.org/20-questions-to-help-you-reflect-the-past-year/  and then I slightly modified the list as follows:

20 Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves At The End Of Each Year

  1. What activities made you lose track of time last year?
  2. What accomplishments did you achieve this past year that deserve a “pat on the back”?
  3. Which areas of life did you thrive in this past year (e.g. spiritual, physical, mental, relational, emotional, financial, vocational)?
  4. Which areas of life did you struggle in this past year (e.g. spiritual, physical, mental, relational, emotional, financial, vocational)?
  5. If someone made a film about your life this past year, what kind of film would it be: (e.g. comedy, romance, drama, horror, action, adventure, sci-fy, documentary)?
  6. Where and how did God work most in your life this past year?
  7. If you had to describe the past year in 3 words, what would they be?
  8. What was your most common mental state this past year (e.g. excited, curious, stressed, anxious, worried, reflective)?
  9. What was the best book you read this past year that had the greatest influence in your personal and/or professional growth?
  10. What was your favorite place that you visited this past year?
  11. What was your single biggest time waster this past year?
  12. What was the most productive use of your time this past year?
  13. For what or whom in your life this past year are you most thankful?
  14. If you could redo this past year, what would you do differently?
  15. What did you think about more than anything else in the past year?
  16. What topics did you most enjoy learning about this past year?
  17. What was your overall feeling about life this past year (e.g. happy, sad, angry, afraid, ashamed)?
  18. What was your favorite compliment that you received this past year?
  19. What was the best compliment that you gave to another person this past year?
  20. What was the most important lesson you learned this past year?

By asking yourself these questions each year, I believe you will learn new things about yourself from the past year that will better prepare you for growth and new possibilities in the new year. So go ahead and do it…ask yourself these powerful questions and encourage others to do the same.

To God’s glory, have a blessed “Make It Happen” day!

20 Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves At The End Of Each Year Copyright 2015, The Make It Happen Learning Institute. You have permission to reprint the leadership article, 20 Questions Every Leader Should Ask Themselves At The End Of Each Year, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission. All other rights reserved.