How do you know if you’re doing well? Through reviews, of course.
In my salaried employment, I used to have yearly reviews with my boss and then his boss. They’d tell me what I did well, what I didn’t do well, plonk me on a bell along with everyone else and decide how much extra money they can spare for me. This was called ‘appraisal’.
When I started freelancing, I had no one to appraise me. I made some money, I was always busy, but what did that mean? Am I productive? Am I profitable? Am I successful? I needed a system to check for myself regularly if I’m doing well. The review template you can download from here is what I devised over the last few years to facilitate self-appraisal.
The biggest goals in my business (at the moment) are: Making money and doing work. You’ll notice in the self-appraisal template that I measure these two very diligently. Over the years, I’ve also realised that there are a lot of intangibles in a business. Taking the time to think them through and plan accordingly is fundamental to staying in control.
This Sunday, set aside some time and review July. If possible, journal how you’re feeling. Write to me about how it felt. Good luck!