Nicolaus Copernicus, outside the old Montreal planetarium
Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. – Albert Einstein.
Year-end reflections are not just about what you did or what happened in your life, it is also a good time to reflect on who you are right now and who you would like to be. A person of value is not only valuable to others. You also are a person with a clear sense of your own values and strengths.
Before deciding on your New Year’s resolutions and goals, reflect on events or relationships that have left an emotional impression on you. What did you like and would like to learn to do the same for others? What did you not like and never want to do to someone else? What would you do differently? Who are the people you respect? Why? Who are the people you would prefer to avoid? Why? Take some time to write down these reflections and decide what you will do with these insights.
This is similar to an exercise I did early in my career when I shifted from the supplier to the customer side of the desk. Although I no longer have the original document, those reflections helped shape me into who I am today. You can read Version 2.0 of that list, called Things I Swear I Will Never Do To Someone Else.
If you do the exercise, let me know in the comments. Was it valuable for you?
More Sunday Inspiration:
Sockets and Lightbulbs 
December 29, 2013
Leadership