The Hidden Power of Looking Back Before Moving Forward

Today, we’re taking the first real step in building out your plan for 2025, starting with an honest look back and a close look at where you are right now. Planning isn’t just about setting targets for the future—it’s about anchoring those goals in reality, your reality. And that begins by understanding the ground you’re currently standing on.

Most people jump into New Year’s goals without taking time to look back on what actually worked (and didn’t work) in the year they’re leaving behind. They’re so focused on what’s next that they skip over valuable information and insights from where they’ve been. We’re not here to make that mistake. This process isn’t about making vague resolutions; it’s about setting up a strategic and intentional plan, one that will move the needle for you in the areas that matter most.

Laying Out the Path Ahead

To give you a sense of where we’re headed, here’s a quick look at the planning process we’ll be covering over the coming weeks. Each step builds on the last, so stay engaged. You’re not just setting goals here; you’re crafting a plan that’s designed to work for you and take you to that next level.

• Reflect: Today, we’re diving into the past year. We’ll look at the wins, areas for growth, and key learnings that will help us get clear on what’s been working and what hasn’t.

• Assess: We’ll take a candid look at where you are right now—physically, mentally, and emotionally. This is the foundation. By seeing where you are now, you can set a starting point for where you want to go.

• Define: This will be your vision for 2025. Together, we’ll work to clarify what “success” looks like for you next year, identifying the goals that align with that vision.

• Milestones & Priorities: Every big goal needs smaller checkpoints to keep it within reach. We’ll look at how to break your goals down into actionable quarterly milestones.

• Build: Once your big goals are set, you’ll need daily actions that support them. We’ll focus on how to structure your habits and routines so that you’re making progress daily.

• Anticipate: We all hit obstacles. Here, we’ll get proactive about the challenges you might face and how to recognize them early. We’ll also set Anti-Goals to help keep you on track.

• Optimize: Progress doesn’t come from a single push but from regular tweaks and improvements. This step will be all about refining your approach.

• Celebrate and Finalize: As we wrap up 2024, we’ll reflect one last time, celebrate your wins, and make any final adjustments to the plan for 2025.

• Execution: January will arrive before you know it, and with your roadmap ready, it’s all about consistent, intentional action. Focus on enjoying the process and staying in the gain—measuring how far you’ve come, not the distance to your goals. Celebrate each step forward and appreciate the growth along the way.

Setting the Tone for 2025

You’re not just setting a “New Year’s resolution” here. What we’re doing is creating a roadmap that aligns with who you are now and who you want to become. Each step is designed to be intentional. As you follow along in these newsletters, you’ll get the tools you need to create a high-impact plan for 2025. But remember, this isn’t a checklist. This is your life. The goals you set and the actions you take are meant to create meaningful, lasting change.

We’ll begin today with Reflect and Assess—these are the foundational steps that make sure everything you’re building is solid. By taking a clear-eyed look at where you are and where you’ve been, you’ll be able to step into 2025 with clarity and purpose.

Take some time today to work through this first stage. Let’s start by looking back at 2024, extracting the valuable insights that will help us shape the year to come.

Why Reflection and Assessment Matter

Reflection is where you pause to take stock. It’s where you get real with yourself about what you’ve accomplished, what didn’t quite hit the mark, and what you learned along the way. This isn’t just about “good” or “bad”—it’s about understanding patterns and actions that brought you closer to or further from your goals. When you take time to reflect, you get clarity on what drives your wins and what holds you back. It gives you a clear-eyed look at what needs to continue and what needs to change.

When reflecting, it’s easy to fall into the trap of only seeing the “gaps”—the places where you fell short of an ideal. But as Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy share in The Gap and The Gain, true progress comes when you look back and measure how far you’ve come, not how far you have to go. So as you look back, focus on what you’ve gained in 2024. What progress have you made? What strengths have you built? This focus on the gain rather than the gap lets you appreciate the journey and gives you the fuel to keep pushing forward.

Assessment: The Truth-Telling Step

Assessment is about anchoring yourself in the present. A lot of people set goals based on where they wish they were rather than where they are, and that’s a recipe for burnout and frustration. By getting a snapshot of your current state—your mindset, health, and emotional well-being—you set goals that align with your reality. This isn’t about “playing it safe,” either. It’s about respecting where you are as the launchpad for what’s next. And when you start with an honest assessment, you can measure your growth throughout the year and make adjustments as needed.

There’s a reason Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, said, “All progress starts by telling the truth.” The truth is often uncomfortable. It can mean facing areas where we fell short or realizing there are parts of our lives we haven’t given the focus they need. But when you take the time to tell yourself the truth, you create a foundation for real progress. A solid assessment is about being clear on where you’re at, not where you wish you were, and it’s the crucial step to planning a 2025 that fits your reality and ambitions.

Step 1: Reflecting on 2024—Wins, Lessons, and Unfinished Business

Reflection isn’t just about acknowledging wins or listing what could be better. It’s about recognizing the progress you’ve made as the foundation you’ll build on in 2025. By examining both successes and setbacks, you can see how each experience is shaping the best version of yourself—the future self you’re creating through these efforts.

As you go through this step, approach it with the mindset of measuring the “gain.” You’re not just looking at what’s left to achieve; you’re recognizing the journey so far. Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy refer to this as focusing on “The Gain.” Each experience in 2024 has contributed to building your identity, moving you toward that hero you’re becoming. Remember, your progress doesn’t depend on perfection; it depends on learning from your wins, taking ownership, and viewing obstacles as opportunities.

Below are a few prompts to guide you as you reflect on 2024.

Wins and Key Moments

• Big Wins: Start with the highlights. What were the major accomplishments you’re proud of? These could be fitness goals, personal milestones, or even specific habits you maintained. Each win is a building block toward the next level.

• Small Victories: Don’t overlook the smaller successes. Maybe you established a morning routine that stuck or started prioritizing sleep. Small victories compound over time and represent gains that build strength and consistency.

• What Worked: Reflect on the strategies and habits that contributed to these wins. Were there specific routines, mindsets, or approaches that helped you stay on track? Identifying these helps you strengthen them for the future self you’re creating.

Action

• List at least three major wins and three smaller victories from 2024.

• Reflect on what each experience taught you and how it contributed to your growth. Remember, these achievements are stepping stones that build your future self.

Note: Once you start listing your wins, whether big or small, you may discover more accomplishments than you initially realized (in fact, bet on it). To help jog your memory, create a matrix by writing down the months of the year vertically and key areas of your life horizontally. Categories like health, fitness, relationships, finances, personal development, spirituality, family, and business are great places to start. This method can reveal achievements you may have overlooked.

What Could Have Been Better

• Honest Reflection: Now, take a moment to look at what didn’t go as planned. This isn’t about criticizing yourself; it’s about learning and expanding. Maybe there were areas where you got sidetracked or goals that didn’t fully materialize.

• Root Causes: Identify the “why” behind these areas. Were there external factors, like time constraints or unforeseen challenges? Or were internal factors at play, such as motivation or commitment?

• Growth Opportunity: Each challenge represents an area where you can grow. Recognizing what didn’t work helps you refine your approach, identify your true priorities, and expand the hero mindset you’re building.

Action

• List a few areas where you fell short or where things could have gone better.

• Next to each, write down one adjustment you could make to improve in 2025. You can also repurpose the matrix mentioned previously to help with this exercise.

Key Learnings

Lessons Learned

• Think back over the year and consider both your wins and challenges. What key lessons did you take away from your successes? Did any specific themes or patterns emerge from what went well?

• Now, reflect on your setbacks. What did you learn from these challenges? Are there patterns that reveal areas needing more attention or adjustment? Recognizing recurring themes can provide deeper insights and help you understand what drives your achievements or contributes to obstacles.

Applying the Lesson

A lesson holds real value when it leads to action. How can you apply these insights to make 2025 even more successful?

• Look for patterns: Did consistency, preparation, or focused effort lead to your best results? If so, prioritize these strategies in your plans.

• Refine your approach: If challenges highlighted areas like lack of preparation or poor time management, identify how you can improve and integrate these adjustments into your routine.

Use these insights to create actionable strategies that support your growth. The goal is to transform what you’ve learned into habits that set you up for success.

Action

• Write down three significant lessons from 2024, noting whether each came from a success, a setback, or an unexpected event.

• Reflect on how you’ll apply these lessons in the year ahead. Take ownership of your growth and ensure your actions align with the hero you’re striving to become.

Unfinished Business

As we near the end of 2024, it’s time to address any unfinished goals or projects. Reflecting on what’s still in progress can help you tie up loose ends and create a sense of closure, setting you up for a more focused and intentional start to 2025. Here’s how to approach any lingering tasks and prepare to finish the year strong.

Goals in Progress

• Identify ongoing projects: Make a list of any goals or projects that are still in progress. Are there initiatives you’ve actively been working on or ideas you’ve only just begun to explore?

• Prioritize importance: Decide which of these projects are most important to complete before the year ends and which ones can be carried into 2025.

Intentions for Completion

• Set clear intentions: Create a plan to address your unfinished business. Break down each goal into actionable steps that you can realistically tackle before the year ends.

• Schedule your efforts: Block time on your calendar to focus on these tasks. Having designated time increases the likelihood that you’ll complete them.

December Reflection

• Plan your final review: Remember that this won’t be your last opportunity to reflect on 2024. We’ll have a comprehensive review in December to close out the year with a full understanding of your accomplishments and lessons learned.

• Prepare for closure: Think about how reflecting one last time in December will give you a sense of completion and help you mentally prepare for 2025.

Action

• List any goals you still want to achieve this year. For each one, write down one small step you can take in the coming weeks to make progress.

• Review your timeline for unfinished projects. Determine if any adjustments are needed to realistically complete them before the end of the year.

Step 2: Assessing Your Current State—Mindset, Health, and Emotional Well-being

With a clear reflection on where you’ve been, the next step is to get real about where you are right now. Think of this as a baseline check, an honest assessment of your present state. Too often, people set ambitious goals based on where they wish they were instead of where they actually are, and that’s when burnout and frustration creep in. By understanding your current reality, you set goals that align with your strengths and highlight areas for growth.

Dan Sullivan calls this step the “truth-telling” phase—anchoring yourself in your reality and using that as the launchpad for growth. Remember, this isn’t about limiting yourself; it’s about being smart, effective, and prepared to build a strong foundation for the next year.

1. Mindset

Beliefs & Attitudes: Your mindset is foundational to everything you do. Assess the beliefs and attitudes that either support or limit your growth. Do you approach challenges with a growth mindset, or do you find yourself stuck in a fixed mindset at times? Recognize any self-limiting beliefs you’re holding onto, and decide to shift them to empower your growth moving forward.

Resilience & Adaptability: How well do you handle setbacks? Your ability to bounce back—or your resilience—shapes your success. Assess whether you’re adaptable and open to change, or if you tend to resist it. Building resilience and adaptability will be crucial as you set and pursue your goals.

Purpose & Motivation: Are you clear on your “why” and what drives you? Purpose-driven goals are stronger and more sustainable. If you feel a lack of clarity about your deeper motivations, recognize this as an area to explore and develop so you have the energy and drive to stay committed.

Action: Identify one or two key mindset shifts you’d like to work on. Note any specific beliefs or attitudes that will help you step into your best self and approach the future with a strong, purpose-driven mindset.

2. Physical Health

Fitness & Physical Strength: Start by taking an honest look at your physical state. How strong, mobile, and capable do you feel? Are you performing in the top 20% of your age group, or is there work to be done? Assess your fitness level objectively, and consider any limitations that might need extra attention in the coming year.

Energy & Recovery: How is your day-to-day energy? Are you experiencing any chronic fatigue, or do you bounce back quickly after workouts and daily challenges? Assessing your energy and recovery gives you insight into whether you’re pushing too hard or need to adjust your approach.

General Health Indicators: Consider any recent health tests, checkups, or conditions you should factor into your planning. If there are underlying health issues, set an intention to address or monitor these areas so they don’t become obstacles.

Action: Write down a snapshot of your physical health, noting any areas that need focus. Be clear on the habits, workouts, or changes that will support you in 2025.

3. Emotional Well-being

Stress Management: Start by evaluating how you’re managing stress. Do you have routines or habits that help you reset, or do you feel like you’re always in survival mode? Effective stress management will be critical for maintaining energy and focus throughout 2025.

Emotional Resilience: Your capacity to process emotions and move through challenges is essential. How often do emotions hold you back from taking action? Consider any patterns that may need adjusting to ensure you’re not getting derailed by temporary setbacks.

Support Systems: Assess the strength of your support system. Who are the people in your life who genuinely support your goals, and are there any relationships that might be draining you? Having a solid support network can make a significant difference, especially when challenges arise.

Action: Identify one or two areas in your emotional well-being that need attention. Write down a few strategies you can implement, such as building routines for managing stress or reinforcing connections with supportive people.

Why This Matters

Reflection and assessment aren’t just steps to check off—they’re the foundation for everything that follows. Knowing where you’ve been and where you are right now gives you clarity and focus, making it easier to set goals that align with your reality and aspirations. Without this foundation, any plans for 2025 would be built on guesswork, rather than grounded in your actual experiences and strengths.

With these reflections in mind, you’re ready to move forward with purpose. Over the next few newsletters, we’ll take this solid base and build out a vision for the year ahead, creating a plan that’s both ambitious and achievable.

Take some time this week to work through these reflection and assessment prompts honestly. The more clarity you gain now, the more equipped you’ll be to step into 2025 with intention and confidence.

Take time with these assessments this week, and remember that honesty is your greatest asset. You’re building your year from a position of strength, laying a foundation that will allow you to step confidently into 2025.

Next Steps

Reflecting and assessing are crucial first steps, and you've just laid the groundwork for a successful 2025. This foundation will guide everything we build in the weeks ahead—from setting a compelling vision to creating a plan with clear, actionable goals that align with your values and aspirations.

This week, commit to being honest and thorough as you work through these prompts. Remember, each insight you gain will bring you closer to designing a year filled with purpose and progress.

Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter, where we’ll dive deeper into defining what success looks like for you in 2025. You’ll start shaping a vision that reflects the man you’re striving to become, and we'll provide practical strategies to keep you on course.

Keep pushing forward. The future you’re building begins with the choices you make today.

Are You Ready to Take Control of 2025?

Men over 50: This is your moment. Reflection and assessment are just the start. The real question is—are you ready to step up and own what comes next?

At Argent Alpha, we don’t just talk about action; we lead by example.

Get off the sidelines and commit to a plan that aligns with your vision for the future. Start 2025 on your terms—with clarity, purpose, and the strength to win.

Lead from the front. Make the call. The choice is yours.

Go to Argent Alpha and make that choice today.

Further Reading

For those looking to deepen their understanding and enhance their personal growth journey, here are a few powerful books that complement the concepts we've covered. Note: None of these books are required to successfully complete Reflection and Assessment. They are offered for those interested in going deeper.

1. The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
   Explore how to break through your own limitations and reach your highest potential. Hendricks reveals how to conquer self-imposed barriers and live more purposefully.

2. The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
   A transformative read that helps you shift your perspective from focusing on what’s missing to celebrating your progress. This mindset change can fuel your growth and keep you motivated.

3. Mindset by Dr. Carol S. Dweck
   Discover the science behind the power of a growth mindset. Dweck’s work shows how embracing challenges and learning from setbacks can lead to higher achievement and greater resilience.

4. Atomic Habits by James Clear
   A practical guide to building habits that stick and breaking those that hold you back. Clear emphasizes the power of small, consistent actions that compound into extraordinary results.

5. Grit by Angela Duckworth
   Learn why passion and perseverance are key drivers of success. Duckworth’s research will inspire you to stay committed and push through obstacles, turning challenges into opportunities.

These books provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to reinforce the planning and execution themes we’ve discussed. Pick one that resonates with you and start your journey toward becoming the best version of yourself.