CN
Aman|
HomeExperienceProjectsBlogsAboutContactTools
Connect
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Medium
Github
Instagram
← All Articles

The Yearly Review (Simple + Actually Useful)

A simple yearly self-review framework that's easy to do, easy to repeat, and easy to look back on later. No journal habit or fancy tracking required.

2026-01-01•2 min read
The Yearly Review (Simple + Actually Useful)

The Yearly Review (Simple + Actually Useful)

0) Prep (5 minutes): bring receipts

Open any 2–3 of these so you're not guessing:

  • Calendar (events, trips, deadlines)
  • Photos (camera roll)
  • Notes / tasks (Notion, reminders, doc)
  • Money snapshot (income, savings, big spends)
  • Health snapshot (steps/gym/sleep if you track)

1) The Year in Moments (10 minutes)

Write 10–20 bullets of what happened. No essays. Just anchors.

Examples:

  • "Moved cities"
  • "Shipped X"
  • "Broke up"
  • "Big trip"
  • "Got rejected/accepted for Y"
  • "Started reading/gym"
  • "Met someone important"

This becomes your timeline.

2) Score the Year (10 minutes)

Give each domain a 1–10 score, then write one line why.

Domains (use these or change based on your goals):

  • Health
  • Work/Craft
  • Money
  • Relationships
  • Learning
  • Fun/Adventure
  • Mental state

Example: "Money: 6 — income good, but side income inconsistent."

3) Extract the Meaning (25 minutes)

Only answer these. Keep it short and blunt.

Wins (3)

  • Win #1 → what caused it
  • Win #2 → what caused it
  • Win #3 → what caused it

Losses (3)

  • Loss #1 → what caused it
  • Loss #2 → what caused it
  • Loss #3 → what caused it

Patterns (3)

Write as "When X, I tend to Y."

  • Pattern #1
  • Pattern #2
  • Pattern #3

This is the whole point: you're converting memories into rules.

4) Pick Next Year's "3 Outcomes" (20 minutes)

Choose 3 outcomes max. If you pick 8, you'll do 0.

For each outcome, write:

  • Outcome: what you want
  • Metric: how you'll know it happened
  • Lead metric (weekly): the actions that create it (things you control)

Example:

  • Outcome: "$5k/mo side income"
  • Metric: "3 months stable"
  • Lead metric: "2 SEO pages/week + 1 conversion test/week + outreach"

5) Make It Real (20 minutes): WOOP + If-Then Plans

For each of the 3 outcomes:

WOOP (3 minutes each)

  • Wish: what you want
  • Outcome: what it looks/feels like
  • Obstacle: what inside you blocks it (avoid vague "time")
  • Plan: one if-then

If-Then Plans (2–3 per outcome)

Write these like switches:

  • If it's Monday 10:30am, then I publish one page.
  • If I feel like procrastinating, then I do 25 minutes of the smallest task.
  • If I get a new idea, then I park it for 7 days.

6) Lock a Weekly Review (5 minutes)

Pick a fixed slot:

  • Weekly review (20 min): Day/time: ________

3 questions:

  1. What moved?
  2. What stalled (and why)?
  3. What's next week's one move for each outcome?

That's it.

Template

Use the Notion template to complete your yearly review:

→ Open Yearly Review Template in Notion

Mini versions (so you can "review the year" anytime)

Monthly "keep the thread" review (15 minutes)

  • 3 highlights
  • 3 headaches
  • 1 lesson
  • 1 thing to repeat next month
  • Update your 3 outcome lead metrics for next month

Mid-year review (45 minutes)

  • Re-score the 7 domains (quick gut check)
  • Wins so far (3) + losses so far (3)
  • What goal is still real? What goal is fake now?
  • Adjust the 3 outcomes (replace one if needed)
  • Decide the next 6-week sprint (one focus)

Random-month "catch-up" review (30 minutes)

If you've ignored the system for months:

  • Timeline: last 90 days in 10 bullets
  • What's draining energy right now?
  • What's the single most leverage outcome for next 6 weeks?
  • Choose 2 lead metrics and do only those

Note: This is an ever-evolving framework—adjust things as they suit you. If you have a different framework or a better way, please share! I'd love to hear about it and incorporate improvements where possible.

References & Resources