Looking Back, Looking Ahead

We all know the rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield. After all, we need to spend less time looking back and focus more on what’s ahead. When we look in the rearview mirror, it takes us to a place we have been — not the one where we need to go — and that can stunt our development and our growth.

There are times, though, when the rearview mirror can be useful. As we begin March, let’s take a peek in it and see if we’ve passed any significant landmarks on our journey thus far.

We began 2021 with a sense of optimism and hope. After all, how could any year be worse than what we all experienced in 2020? We might’ve made a list of the things we learned from 2020, how COVID changed our lives and how these changes would benefit us moving forward. We also made some promises to ourselves. What habits would we alter? How would we improve as professionals? How would we become more grateful, humble and aware of those around us?

Let’s review the promises we made to start the year and be honest with our commitment, performance and execution level to this point. Let’s now think of March 1 as the new year, the moment we can all make sure we are following the path we charted.

Looking back is not about re-opening old wounds or wallowing in self-pity of past failures. Its purpose is only to make sure the direction we have chosen, the one we promised ourselves, is still on course. Would we fly in an airplane without a navigational system? Would we sail across the Atlantic without checking our compass? Once we establish we’re on course, only then we can keep looking ahead out that big windshield.