So you've done your annual review, you've examined your data, and you are ready to go. So first things first, grab a journal, some paper, if you're like me, you're going to get your Good Notes app on your tablet, whatever works for you. But we are going to be doing some serious writing and serious planning. And the first step is to conduct what I lovingly call a “brain release”. You may have heard this described as a brain dump, that's fine, too. I just think brain release sounds nicer. I want you to set a timer, you can choose how long you want to set it for. Personally, I tend to do 15 or 20 minutes. And during that time, I want you to write down anything and everything you might possibly want to bring into existence or continue to do in the year to come. Now there are some do's and don'ts to this brain release process that I want to share with you. I want to start with the “do-nots”, okay, these are the thou shalt nots of annual planning. So when you are doing your brain release, do not ask yourself if a given idea is possible. This is not the time to worry about that. Just get the idea down. It is also not the time to ask yourself how you will do it. We're not worried about that yet, just get the idea down. Likewise, don't ask yourself when you're going to do it if you even have time to do it, or why you would even want to Nope, that is not what a brain release is about. It is about getting all of our ideas out on the page as quickly as possible. And we do not want to disrupt our flow with any sort of critique of our ideas. Trust me, there will be time to sort through our ideas later. Now is not the time. So do not ask if, how, when or why. When it comes to giving an idea, ust get it down on the page. So that's why another “thou shalt not” is “thou shalt not censor yourself”. I don't care how wild and out there an idea is, get it on the page. And thou shalt not judge. We are not going to spend any time right now judging whether an idea is good, whether it's workable, what it says about you that you even want to create this. Nope, we are turning the volume down on our inner critic or essentially putting it on mute. The brain release is simply a time to get everything out of your head and onto the page. Because please remember, no one ever has to see this brain release but you. This is not for public consumption. So get it all down there. So we've talked about the “do-nots”, let's talk about the “do's” of your brain release. Do think big and bold. This is the time to explore, to let your imagination run wild, and to consider any and all possibilities for yourself and your business. So, go for it. Think big, think brave, think bold. So that's the first one, do think big and bold. The second one, do think small and mighty. Not everything on your brain release has to be a huge life changing accomplishment. And in fact, sometimes it's the small goals that result in the biggest progress. So feel free to create space in your brain release process for those small and mighty goals, whatever those might look like for you. So do think big and bold, and do think small and mighty. And then finally, do consider your overall fulfillment. Again, we're not spending a whole lot of time thinking through whether these ideas are workable, or whether we even want to take action on them. But it is okay to approach this brain release process by prioritizing your own fulfillment, what matters most to you, what brings you joy, what lights you up. It is perfectly acceptable to bring that into consideration as you are conducting your brain release. So those are the do's of the brain release. Think big and bold, think small and mighty, and consider your overall fulfillment. 

So now that you have completed your brain release, the next step is to step away. Seriously, take a break. Doesn't have to be a long one, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, but go do something. Get something to drink, take a walk, call a friend, any of that is fine. But just give yourself a mental break from that list for just a few minutes. I mean it, this is non negotiable. Do your brain release, and then step away. Even if it's just for five minutes, give your brain a little time to think about something else. Once you've taken that break, then come back and read your brain release list slowly and deliberately. I mean it, take each idea one by one. And notice any thoughts or emotions that emerge about that idea. I encourage you to do this from a sense of detachment and objectivity. So we're not buying into any of the ideas, we're also not rejecting any of them, we're simply noticing what comes up within us, when we consider a given idea, you may find that a particular bullet point on your list really excites you, feel free to make note of that maybe you want to put a little star by it. You may also find that a given idea, even though it's there, it's really not something you're interested in doing. That's fine, too. Don't erase it. But again, maybe make a note, maybe put a small slash or even a small x next to that idea. But go through one by one and really feel into that idea and notice what is coming up within your body physically, emotionally, energetically, just notice the sensations. Once you've done that, for each and every item on your list, it's time to broaden out a bit. This is a point where you can start to see if any themes emerge, or if any ideas belong together. Here's an example. When I did this activity last year as I was preparing for 2021, a couple things on my brain release were about wanting to be on more podcasts, wanting to get more guests for my podcast, wanting to grow my audience for the show, you get the idea. Well, all of these things naturally fell together under the podcasting theme. So I invite you to take a look at your ideas from your brain release list and just notice which belong together. It's almost like we're creating little content pillars or content buckets out of our ideas. Okay, so just a review, you've done your brain release, you've taken a break, you've come back and slowly and thoughtfully looked at every single idea on your brain release. You've noted how it makes you feel or what thoughts come up about each idea. And now we're starting to group similar ideas together. Once you've done that, once you've created these little buckets of ideas, again, check back in with them. I'm curious, which of these themes or pillars really excites you? What gets you really motivated? What can you not wait to get to work on? Likewise, which of them might even scare you a little bit? Which feels a little exciting yet overwhelming at the same time? Which might ask you to really stretch and challenge yourself and grow? And then are there any that feel necessary? And I chose that word deliberately, because necessary can look like something that's vital, “I absolutely have to do this, it is necessary I want to dive in”. And then of course, there are also some tasks that are necessary and yet, we don't really enjoy doing them. We don't like doing them. But we know we have to, because it is an integral part of having a successful business. So you'll have things that excite you, things that may scare you a little bit, and then the things that feel necessary, both in that way that feels vital and alive. And then in that way that feels like an obligation that we need to fulfill. Again, we're doing this from a place of non-judgment. Just notice what comes up. Now that we have everything nice and organized. And we know where we're really feeling drawn, it is time to create our lists. And yes, that is lists, plural. The first list I invite you to create is your Hell Yes list”. “Hell, yes, I want to do this. Yes, this is going to be a priority for me in the coming year”. So what is it that you most want to say yes to? This can be a particular project or idea. It can be a grouping of ideas, it can be a theme, however you want to approach this, it's up to you. But get really clear on what it is you want to say hell yes to in the coming year. So that's list number one: Hell yes. So I'll give you two guesses as to what the second list is. Yes, you're right. This is your “Hell No list”. This is absolutely what you do not want to bring forth in the coming year. It may be some of the ideas on your brain release you may decide, “Nope, this is not something I want to do”. Or you may decide, “Nope, this is not something I want to do right now”, it could still be a wonderful idea to bring forth in a future year. So we don't necessarily want to lose that. But we do want to be really clear on what we are saying no to in the coming year. And as you are creating that list, I would ask you to consider what boundaries may need to be put in place in order for you to say yes to the things that matter to you, and no to the things that don't. How can you ensure those items on your Hell No list stay on your Hell No list? I know I've been guilty of having some of those no items creep onto my schedule, creep into my processes. And before I know it, I've actually devoted more time and energy and effort to things that I didn't really want to focus on. And it's because I wasn't managing my time properly. I didn't feel comfortable saying no to people. And I felt a sense of obligation, even though it wasn't something that lit me up or that was consistent with my values or how I wanted to run my business. So moving forward, in order to say no to those things. I had to get comfortable saying no, I had to get comfortable drawing boundaries around my time and my energy. And there are still times where that feels difficult or uncomfortable. And yet I know that if I'm going to say yes to those things that I'm really passionate and motivated about, I have to say no to the rest. So now you've got your list of Hell Yes’s, your list of Hell No’s. And you're starting to think about the systems and yes, the boundaries you need to put into place in order to create your best year yet. Now it's time to take a look at that Hell Yes list and get more specific. What is it that you want to accomplish by the end of the year? If we were to hop into a time machine and fast forward one year from today, how would we know that you successfully accomplished your goals? What would look different? What would feel different? What would you be thinking or feeling or doing differently? How would we know? When we think about it from that perspective, it helps us identify what it is we need to do to actually bring that to life. So first, we want to get clear on what it is you want to accomplish. Then we need to be clear about how we'll know if that's happened or not. As you are creating your list of goals. Let's also think about what you will measure in order to know whether you're on track. So in last week's episode, we talked a lot about data and we talked about Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs. What are the KPIs for your goals? How will you know if you're on track? How will you know if you're making progress? How will you know if you're not advancing towards your goal? So take a few minutes as you are creating each goal to also specify what you will measure that will indicate your progress. These will be the KPIs you want to track next year. So at this point, we have your specific goals or your goal statements. We know what you need to measure in order to check your progress. Now we can start breaking it down. So if you have a year long goal, what needs to happen every quarter in order to get closer to that goal? For example, let's say I have a goal of being on 50 podcasts in 2022. That feels like a really big, audacious goal. To me, that's pretty much one podcast a week. That's a lot. And if I look at it from the perspective of, “Oh, I got to do 50 podcasts this year, that can feel overwhelming”. But when I break it down, quarter by quarter, I think to myself, “Okay, well, we're talking about 12 to 13 podcasts per quarter. How can I make that happen?”. And this is where that data and that annual review can come in. Because let's say I've pitched myself to 10 podcasts, and I've booked six of them, well, then I know I have a 60% success rate when it comes to pitching and being on podcasts. So if I want to be on 12 podcasts in a given quarter, I know I need to pitch 20 podcasts. So every quarter, I'm going to pitch 20 podcasts. And from that I can reasonably expect that I will be on 12 of them. So then it becomes how can I pitch 20 podcasts each quarter? So you can see how we're starting broad with the year goal. And then we're getting more specific, and we're really looking at what I need to accomplish every quarter in order to hit my goal. And what will I measure every quarter in order to do so. I want you to do that for each goal that you've set for yourself for 2022. Whatever it is you want to accomplish by the end of the year, break that down into quarterly objectives. What will you need to do each quarter in order to hit that goal? And then from there, you can go down a level further. So if I know that I need to pitch 20 podcasts in a given quarter, what will that look like on a monthly basis? Now I might decide to divide that evenly. Maybe I'll do seven podcast pitches a month. But I don't have to do that. Maybe I decide I want to do a full on pitch blitz at the start of the quarter. So I spend the first month pitching all 20 podcasts, then in the second month, I can focus on following back up with the pitches I sent that didn't receive a response. And then in month three, maybe I'm starting to develop my list of who I will pitch in the next quarter. So there's all sorts of different ways that we can approach this. Yes, you are free to break it down so that you're doing equal amounts of things over a given quarter or over a given month. Or maybe you would rather do more of a batching approach, where each quarter or each month has a specific focus. And you go all in on a specific focus during that time period. Again, there's no right or wrong here. And some of this will come through trial, error, and experimentation. Because really, that's all life is right? This is one experiment, we have a hypothesis, we are testing it. And when we get the data back, we can decide whether this is something we want to continue, whether it's something we want to tweak or whether it's something we want to move on from. My personal preference is to plan out my first quarter as part of my annual planning process. I really like having the full on roadmap for the year, so I know where I'm going. And I also like having a strong plan of action for that first quarter to get me started. Personally, I don't like to plan too far in advance because as you know, things change. Businesses evolve. And we have to be fluid and adaptable. So I personally don't go deep into specific planning for quarters, two, three, and four. When I'm doing my annual plan, I probably have an idea of what I would like to create or what I'd like to focus on. For example, I have my launch calendar for 2022 pretty much set. I know what programs and what offers I will be launching in a given month of the year. But I'm not going full into launch planning for 12 months, I am only focusing on what I will be sharing with you for January, February and March 2022. Then as I get further into quarter one, maybe around the end of February, beginning of March, that's when I'm going to start taking a deeper look at quarter two. That's the process that works for me. I encourage you to find the process that works for you. You may decide that you want to do more in depth planning six months in advance, so maybe you're doing two quarters at a time. That is totally fine. Again, I want this process to be flexible enough that you can adapt it for your use and have a successful outcome at the end. So let's do a quick recap, shall we? Planning for your best year yet starts with a brain release. So you are giving yourself full permission to write down any idea that comes into your head about what you want to create or do more of in 2022. You're not judging yourself, you're not censoring yourself, you're not asking if or how, or when, or why, you are allowing yourself to think big and bold, and to think small and mighty, while prioritizing your values and the things that bring you joy. After you've completed that brain release, you're going to give yourself a quick break so that your mind can focus on something else. And then you will return to your brain release list. You are going to review that list slowly and deliberately, really paying attention to your internal responses to each and every idea on that list. You're making note of the things that excite you, the things that light you up, the things that maybe you don't want to focus on for the year to come. We're not scratching anything off the list, we're just noticing. Then you're examining which ideas want to be together, and you're creating themes around your ideas. Again, you're noticing which themes excite you, which might scare you a bit, if there's any that you don't want to focus on, and the ones that feel necessary to you. With that in mind, then it's time to create your goal lists for the next year. And you're creating two lists. One list is your Hell Yes list. And that contains all of the ideas you absolutely want to bring forth in 2022. The other is your Hell No list. And these are the things that you are saying no to. These might be ideas, they might be feelings, they might be activities, you get to decide what you are saying no to next year. And you're starting to think about the boundaries you need to set in place so that you can say no to those ideas and yes to the ones that light you up. With your Hell Yes goals in mind, you're getting really specific about what you want to accomplish by the end of the year. And you're starting to think about what you'll need to measure that will show you whether you are making progress to that goal, or whether things might be a little off track, and we need to course correct. With those yearly goals and KPIs in place, you're then going to look at what you need to do on a quarterly level to bring those annual goals to life. Once you have a rough idea of what each quarter might look like, we're going to drill down into that first quarter. And we're going to look at those three months and decide these are the specific activities I need to do in these three months to bring this to life. With that in hand, you will know what you want to accomplish in 2022, how you'll know if you're reaching it, and where you need to get started in this first quarter. This will be your blueprint for the year to come. And I highly encourage you to review this on a regular basis, at least once a quarter. That way you can track your progress and see how you're doing. And you can also check back in with yourself to make sure these goals still resonate with you. And I want you to know that if you decide that there's a given goal that no longer feels aligned with you or with your business, you do have full permission to release it. This blueprint is not carved in stone, it is meant to be a fluid document. So as you change and evolve, your business will change and evolve, and so too will your goals. So when you review this on a regular basis, you are giving yourself the freedom to amend, to add, and even to remove from so that you can continue to create a business that is fully aligned with your values, your vision, and your mission. And with that, let's go into this week's Clarity in Action Moment. For this week's Clarity in Action Moment, I'm going to ask you to do something that might feel a little counterintuitive, it might even feel a little rebellious. I want you to take a look at your list of goals for 2022, and I want you to put one of them on your list for 2023. Yes, that's right. I know I just walked you through all of this planning and you've got things set for the year. And I want to make sure that your year feels spacious, and that you have room to move within your goals. Coco Chanel once said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”. It is always better to be underdressed. I think we can take this and modify it for business. And when we're looking at our goals and everything we want to accomplish in the coming year, take one thing off. Give yourself some space, some freedom, some flexibility, and know that you can always add it back in later if you have the space and the desire to do so. So that's my challenge to you, is that you've got this beautiful plan, take one thing off, notice how it feels. And then maybe at the end of the first or second quarter of the year, decide if that wants to return to your list. So now I am really curious how my annual planning process will work for you, both the annual review, and setting goals for your year to come. So come find me over on Instagram. I'm @CoachwithClarity. I would love to hear about how this process works for you, how maybe you might have tweaked it to better support your business. Send me a DM and let me know what you plan to create in the year to come. I cannot wait to see what you bring forth in 2022. We have a few weeks left together in 2021 though, and we've got a couple short but fun shows to get you through the end of the year. And then we will be back in January ready to hit the ground running with some amazing guest interviews. And of course more practical wisdom about how you can continue to grow your coaching mastery while building a successful sustainable, thriving business. As always, thank you for carving time out in your day to spend it with me. I will be back in your podcast feed next week. But until then, my name is Lee Chaix McDonough reminding you to get out there and show the world what it means to be a Coach with Clarity.