We’re halfway through the year. Which means it’s time to do something most people skip, delay, or rush through in 20 minutes: a real mid-year review.
Not the kind where you glance at your Q1 goals, feel vaguely behind, and tell yourself you’ll make it up in Q3. The kind where you actually stop, look honestly at what’s happened, and make intentional decisions about what comes next.
Whether you’re doing this solo or with your team, these questions are designed to take you beneath the surface — past the productivity metrics and into the territory that actually shapes whether this year becomes one you’re proud of.
Set aside an hour. Go somewhere quiet. Don’t edit or censor yourself as you go. All information is good information. Be honest with yourself and see what shows up!
Part 1: Looking Back (January – May)
Before you can move forward with intention, you have to actually take stock of what happened so far this year:
- What’s one win you haven’t fully celebrated yet — and why not?
- Where did you show up differently than you expected to this year?
- What did you start that you’ve already quietly given up on?
Part 2: Honest Self-Assessment
This is the section most people skip. Don’t.
- If your future self could give you one piece of feedback about how you’ve been operating, what would it be?
- What’s the gap between how you present your progress and how it actually feels?
- What habit or pattern keeps showing up that you said you’d address last year too?
Part 3: Energy & Priorities
Time is finite. Attention is even more so. Where yours is going tells the real story.
- What’s taking up the most space in your mind that’s not actually your highest priority?
- Where are you spending energy out of obligation rather than intention?
- What would you stop doing if you weren’t afraid of disappointing someone?
Part 4: Career Reflection
These questions are for anyone in a role — whether you’re building a business, leading a team, or developing your career. Growth doesn’t happen by accident.
- What’s one skill you said you’d develop this year that you’ve barely touched — and what’s the real reason?
- Are you growing in your current role, or just getting more comfortable?
- What opportunity did you let pass in the first half of the year, and what does that tell you?
- Who has advanced around you, and what are they doing differently?
- Is the path you’re on still the one you actually want, or are you just following momentum?
Part 5: Visibility & Relationships
Your impact is only as visible as the relationships that carry it. This section is often the most uncomfortable — and the most useful.
- Who in your organization or industry doesn’t know your work well enough — and is that your fault?
- What’s one relationship you’ve been meaning to invest in that could change your trajectory?
- Are you known for what you want to be known for yet?
- When did you last advocate for yourself — a raise, a project, a promotion, a stretch assignment? What’s stopped you since?
- What’s the next level version of your role, and how much of that work are you already doing (or not)?
- If someone else in your field is where you want to be in 3 years, what are they doing today that you’re not?
Part 6: The Second Half (July – December)
Now that you’ve looked back honestly, it’s time to look forward with intention.
- Fast forward to December… What would make it feel like a genuinely great year – not just a productive one?
- What’s one bold move you’ve been postponing that actually has a low downside?
- Who do you need to become in the next 6 months that you’re not quite being yet?
Part 7: Turning Reflection Into Action
Insight without action is just journaling. These prompts are designed to close the loop — to turn what you’ve uncovered into something you actually do.
This week:
- Name one thing you’ve been overthinking that you can decide right now
- Send one message today — to someone you’ve been meaning to reconnect with, thank, or ask for something
- Block time on your calendar this week for your highest-postponed priority
The “One Thing” Framework:
- One thing to start in the second half
- One thing to stop that’s draining without returning value
- One thing to protect (keep) that’s working but at risk of being crowded out
Career-specific next steps:
- Write down one conversation you need to have in the next 30 days (with a boss, mentor, sponsor, or peer)
- Identify one visible project or opportunity to raise your hand for before Q3
- Update something tangible — your resume, LinkedIn, portfolio, or a skills tracker — as a signal of intent
Accountability:
- Identify one person to share your second-half focus with and set a 30-day check-in
- Ask yourself: what will I do the moment I notice myself slipping back into old patterns?
Which question made you the most uncomfortable? That’s your starting point. Drop it in the comments or email hello@founderandforcemultiplier.com and let me know!
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