Most of us approach January 1st like we’re trying to escape a crime scene. We want to bury the mistakes of the previous year, ignore the goals we didn't hit, and sprint toward a "New Year, New Me" version of ourselves. We think that by ignoring the past, we are free from it. But here is the hard truth: if you don’t look at the data of where you’ve been, you are mathematically destined to repeat your mistakes. You can’t design a better 2026 if you haven't diagnosed exactly what happened in 2025. Today, we aren't just reflecting, we are performing an autopsy on the last twelve months to see what gave you life and what killed your momentum.
Today isn't about shame; it’s about intelligence. Think of yourself as a strategist conducting a post-season review. Your 2025 was the "test phase." Some things worked, some things failed, and some things were just a waste of your limited energy. By performing this four-part audit, we are looking for the "vital few" successes we want to double down on and the "leaks" where your time and joy are disappearing. Without an audit, your 2026 goals are just guesses. With an audit, they are strategic adjustments. We are clearing the air so that your "North Star" can shine.
Open your Guidebook to Page 7 (or your 20-page free preview on Page 6) for the 2025 Audit page. I want you to sit with your calendar, your photo app, and your bank statements. Don't rely on your memory; memory is biased toward the most recent events. Look at the evidence and fill out these four categories:
1. The Highs (The Fuel): What were the three moments where you felt most alive, successful, or at peace? Don’t just look at career milestones. Look at the Saturday mornings that felt easy, the health wins that gave you energy, and the relationships that filled your cup. These "Highs" are clues to what your 2026 schedule should be built around.
2. The Lows (The Friction): Where did you hit a wall? We all have them. Maybe it was a project that drained you, a health setback, or a period of burnout. Write them down without judgment. We aren't looking for excuses; we are looking for patterns. Did these lows happen because of a lack of boundaries, a lack of planning, or simply a lack of interest?
3. The Dead Weight (The Pruning): This is the most important category. Dead weight consists of the things you are doing out of habit, guilt, or "shoulds" that no longer serve your vision. This could be a recurring meeting that yields no results, a social media habit that leaves you feeling "less than," or even a goal you’ve been carrying for three years that you no longer actually want. To grow in 2026, you must decide what you are leaving behind in 2025.
4. The Lessons (The Intelligence): If you could go back to January 1, 2025, and give yourself one piece of advice based on what you know now, what would it be? This isn't just a "thought." This is a rule. This lesson is the primary "guardrail" we will use to design your 2026.
BONUS | The 10-Minute Reset: Take the single most important lesson you learned from your audit and write it on a sticky note. Place it on your bathroom mirror or your laptop. This is your "guardrail." For example, if your lesson was "I said yes to too many people," your sticky note should say: "Your 'Yes' is a limited resource."
Once you complete your audit, you'll be ready to identify your core values for day 2. See you tomorrow, Reader!
