As we approach the end of the year, we tend to rush forward full speed ahead. With holiday madness and other tasks that need to be done by the end of the year, who has time to neatly tie a ribbon around the last 12 months and call it a wrap? However, finishing strong may be just the thing you need to do to create a strong start for the new year.

What if bringing completion to what has past is as important if not more so than planning for the future? What if you knew that you are essentially sabotaging your future success by not stopping and taking stock of what you have accomplished this year and where you are at present?

In sports, there are many examples of where a strong finish is the difference between success and second best. For example, that last thrust forward of the wheel in a bike sprint to win by an inch or the running back who reaches out his hand with the ball to barely cross the goal line with seconds remaining on the clock.

How can you make the next few weeks a strong finish for your year? What can you do to bring completion to this chapter of your life? Completion is what allows you to leave the past in the past. Otherwise, it is like dragging a wagon of unfinished business along with you every day. Not only is it exhausting but it also prevents you from achieving your dreams in the future. After all, you can't climb a mountain with a wagon

"There is no room in the future for your past."

As you bring this year to a close, take an hour and consider the following:

• What did I accomplish this year? Make a list of all your accomplishments, big and small from the last 12 months and celebrate!
• What did I hope to accomplish but didn't? Is this something I still really want? (You are not allowed to beat yourself up on this step.)
• Make a list of all the people in your life for which you are grateful. Contact at least 5 of these people and thank them for what they bring to your life.
• Is there anyone I need to forgive or make amends with? If so, lighten your load and do what you feel is necessary to forgive, repair, or let go of this burden.
• Do at least one thing each day that allows you to simply enjoy today. There is no better step for honoring the past and creating an inspiring future than being fully present and enjoying where you are right now.

Copyright 2005, Paula Gregorowicz and The Paula G. Company

Paula Gregorowicz, owner of The Paula G Company, specializes in helping stressed out and overwhelmed women business owners achieve more success without all the burnout and compromise. She is the author of the burnout busting eCourse "Nip Burnout in the Bud" available at http://www.avoidburnoutnow.com and offers free help through her Beyond Burnout newsletter at http://www.thepaulagcompany.com/newsletter.shtml To learn more and download the FREE REPORT: "Top 10 Causes of Burnout and How to Avoid Them", visit her website at http://www.thepaulagcompany.com

• Seven Strategies for Inflating Your Success


• Globalization -- How To Prosper In Spite Of It


• How Do You Move From a Rut to a Groove?


• Practice


• Success Trait No. 1: Believe In Yourself


• What Do Successful People Do ?


• Attracting Success


• Success Is Easy...Like Riding A Bike X-Games Style!


• The Fool-Proof Formula of Life


• My 10 Keys To Success


• Dispel Illusions


• Success is for the Bold


• Simple Steps to Learning to Speed Read


• Trump, Stewart, Gates - Not Immune To Success Advice


• 7 Tips for Business Success