First Things

Backward Thinking Completing the past is integral to creating a better future. Ignoring or wishing away the past will not allow you to move on. Previous negative experiences and thoughts will influence your future goals and actions. The US Army uses backward-thinking methods to prevent the past from affecting the future. The most prominent method is the After-Action Review. The After-Action Review This method aims to connect experiences with future action via a four-stage process: State what you wanted to happen: Establish a list of goals at this stage. Acknowledge what actually happened: Ask yourself which of these goals remain unfulfilled. Instead of changing the past, this stage aims to shed light on your present. On top of this, consider the goals you accomplished that you are most proud of from last year. Identifying these goals will allow you to identify where you have succeeded but have not appreciated how impressive your accomplishments have been. Finally, consider the themes that kept resurfacing ov