Things to Consider as You Ponder the Last Ten Years

If you’re like me, you probably love the year in review shows that air on television right around this time. With this being the end of a decade, you’re more than likely going to see quite a bit of decade in reviews happening. As this is probably going to be my last post of the year and decade, I’m not going to do a rundown of the last ten years. However, what I hope to do is to give you a few things to consider as you take your own personal look back on the events of the last ten years and what it has meant for you.

Check Your Wins: I don’t care who you are or what your last ten years has been like, you’ve had some successes and wins. When looking back over the last ten years, it’s beneficial to count those wins because they become the inspiration for your future. Those wins are not just check marks of victories, they’re a monument and testament that you are able to repeat those win and even surpass them.

Check Your Losses: It’s tough to think about losses. I get it. It’s so easy to want to ignore them and pretend that they didn’t happen. However, as John Maxwell is known for saying, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.” Losing isn’t really a loss unless you don’t learn from it. As you review those places in your life where you suffered losses, what lessons did you learn from it? What things would you or could you do differently so that you avoid repeating or carrying over those losses into the new year?

Check for Growth: Overall, with your wins and losses combined, it all works together to reveal where you’ve grown and where you need to grow. As you navigate life, it is a constant move towards greater maturity. The things you’ve learned about yourself are things you can translate to ways of helping others to navigate their lives and avoiding the pitfalls that you found yourself in. Maturity presents opportunity for mentoring.

Resist This Urge: One thing that you have to keep in mind as you look back over the last decade is something that Jesus shared. He said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).” While this is specifically speaking to a conversation where Jesus was confronting someone about the cost of discipleship, the principle here is that you don’t want to spend too much time looking back. When you are living life, it is most important to keep your eyes ahead and geared towards progress. Don’t get stuck in your past. Allow everything you’ve been through help you to become future focused.

If you can resist this one urge, you will be well on your way once the new year comes in. Have a happy new year and I’ll prayerfully see you on the other side.