Over Thanksgiving, my family has always had a tradition of going around the table and having everybody share something they are thankful for. This year something different happened, somehow we started sharing the hardest challenge we had ever faced in our lives.
As we went around the table, some family members got very emotional, and I learned things about people I was very close to that I had never known before. It was one of the highlights of the holiday for me. If this question is too personal for your particular group of friends, my other two favorite questions to ask around the holidays are:
- What was your highlight of 2013?
- If we were talking again 12 months from now, what would you like to say your highlight was in 2014?
Those last two questions are great questions to ask your clients as well. They will always bring responses that will help you really understand them better. Remember, part of being a good listener is asking the right questions.
My highlight of 2013 was welcoming the birth of my second son Ezekiel (Zeke for short) into the world. But beyond that, I have a lot more to be thankful for, in particular: great clients, great friends, and a dynamic industry that is changing before our eyes.
What was your highlight of 2013? What is going to make 2014 the best year yet? What ever your goal for 2014 is, planting that idea in your mind now has already brought you one step closer to achieving it.
Thanks for being a part of what made 2013 great for me. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Adrian