Category: Goal setting

Why I Do a Year-End Review Every Year

Why I Do a Year-End Review Every Year

Every year, I sit down and do something that has become non-negotiable for a year-end review. It’s not fancy. It’s not complicated. But it’s powerful./

This time of reflection allows me to slow down and really look at the year—what happened, what I learned, what I did well, and where I need to grow. Reflection matters because it helps us make sense of life. It sharpens our thinking and keeps us grounded.

The Bible reminds us of this in Lamentations 3:40:

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”

John Maxwell says reflection is looking back and learning to pause so you can catch up. That idea has stayed with me for years—and every time I do this review, I’m reminded why.

The Biggest Lesson 2025 Taught Me

If 2025 taught me anything, it’s this: when you put your mind to something, and stay committed, you can accomplish more than you think.

This year, Creative Feeds won Best of Las Vegas. That wasn’t easy. It’s a tough category, and the competition is real. What made it special is that it came from our customers. They believed in us. They voted for us. And that meant everything.

Scripture says in Galatians 6:9:

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

That verse sums it up perfectly.

Another powerful lesson came from watching my wife’s determination. She stayed focused and committed to helping her son Austin get off the streets, out of a program, and into his own place with his own income. Despite setbacks and emotional challenges, she didn’t quit. That kind of grit is inspiring—and it reminded me what perseverance really looks like.

The Areas That Stretched Me the Most

I’ll be honest—relationships, especially family, stretched me the most this year.

We held a family reunion, spending thousands of dollars to bring everyone together. Family is important, but the connection and fellowship we hoped for just wasn’t there. That was hard.

On top of that, walking alongside a child dealing with mental illness is heartbreaking. It brings frustration, anger, and deep emotional weight. Yet even in that, I’m reminded of Psalm 34:18:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Giving back was another challenge. I sometimes wonder if today’s youth are even ready to receive guidance. This generation faces so much, and it can feel like your efforts don’t make a difference. Still, Isaiah 55:11 reminds me that seeds planted don’t return empty—even if the results come later.

How Reflection Changed My Thinking

One clear example of reflection at work in my life is my growth in studying the Word of God. As I’ve gone deeper into the Bible, my thinking has matured. My perspective has changed. My decision-making has improved.

Proverbs 4:7 says:

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

Reflection has taught me to rely less on myself and more on God. It’s helped me understand that we are just travelers in this life—but we are called to be overcomers.

The People Who Influenced Me Most

I’ve been influenced by many people—some through books, some through teachings, and some who are no longer with us. But one of my greatest influences continues to be my wife. Her strength, discipline, and unwavering commitment to family show me what real leadership and love look like.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As I step into 2026, I’m setting intentional goals:

  • Go deeper in Bible study, including exploring the Ethiopian Bible to better understand Jesus, the prophets, and biblical history.
  • Build wealth with clarity and discipline, using what 2025 taught me as a foundation.
  • Write the book I’ve been carrying for years—2026 is the year it gets done.

Habakkuk 2:2 puts it best:

“Write the vision and make it plain.”

A Call to Action: Your Turn

Now let me ask you—when was the last time you truly reflected on your life?

I encourage you to set aside time to do your own year-end review. It doesn’t have to look like mine, but it should be honest.

Start with these five areas if you’d like:

  1. Spiritual life
  2. Relationships
  3. Physical health
  4. Personal and professional growth
  5. Giving back

Ask yourself:

  • What did I learn this year?
  • Where did I grow?
  • Where do I need to change?
  • What is God calling me to focus on next?

Reflection brings clarity. Clarity brings direction. Direction changes lives.

I’ve been doing this for over 10 years, and it has helped shape who I am today. I believe it can do the same for you.

I wish you a purposeful, prosperous, and powerful 2026.

— Dr. D

Carolyle Destiny Group

Unlocking Self-Leadership Success: Mastering Discipline and Accountability

  How do you lead the toughest person in the room?

At every leadership webinar, I pose a paradox: Who is the toughest person in the room to lead? The answer, to everyone’s surprise, is ‘You.’ It’s a unique challenge we all face, leading ourselves.  

Yes, you are the toughest person to lead in this room! It’s a struggle we all share. The person I have the most difficult time leading is myself. This is a full-time job. I have to motivate myself. I have to discipline myself. I must protect my integrity. The list is endless. But remember, you’re not alone in this. We’re all in this together.

Why is it this way? According to my mentor, John Maxwell, there are two reasons:

(1) We don’t see ourselves as we see others.

(2) We are harder on others than we are on ourselves.

It’s a common trait of human nature that equips us with the ability to size up everyone in the world except ourselves. It is remarkable how most people, including managers, supervisors, and team leaders, lack self-awareness. They always have the magic bullet for how to fix others, but they lack a realistic perspective of who they are. This is a common struggle, not a personal failing. But with self-awareness, we can overcome this blind spot and lead ourselves more effectively.  

John Maxwell says, “We tend to judge others according to their actions. It’s very cut and dried.”

However, we judge ourselves by our intentions. Therefore, even when we visibly fall short of our team or organizational goals and/or mission, and it was a lack of leadership or judgment, we tend to let ourselves off the hook because our motives were good.

So how do you lead yourself well? That is a great question. Here are a few action steps. 

(1) Self-discipline is the cornerstone of self-leadership. It’s the key to achieving your goals and maintaining your integrity. Develop it, nurture it, and let it guide your actions.

One day, Frederick the Great of Prussia was walking on the outskirts of Berlin when he encountered a very old man walking ramrod straight in the opposite direction. “Who are you?” Frederick asked his subject. “I am a king,” replied the old man.

“A king!” laughed Frederick. “Over what kingdom do you reign?”

“Over myself,” was the proud old man’s reply.

Discipline is simply giving ourselves a command and following it through. Self-discipline is the highest form of leadership. You are the captain of your ship, the master of your soul. Leading yourself is a challenge, and one of the places where your character shows up is how you lead yourself. Honestly, there are days when I want to take a break from keeping myself under control. The problem is it is not wise to take any day off.

This leads me to the second action you can take to lead yourself well.

(2) Seek accountability. Personal and professional accountability is imperative because we all have a human nature that will lead us astray.

It was once said, “People who lead themselves well know a secret: they can’t trust themselves.” The problem comes when you selfishly think you are untouchable and learn how quickly poor choices can touch you. Unfortunately, we see this behavior now in our society; people don’t want to take responsibility or accountability.

As a young leader in the military, from time to time, my peers and I would get emails sent out by our commander for mandatory training “immediately.”  Well, your whole day is interrupted. I would say to myself, “What happened now?” Later, as all my peers would learn, another one of the men or women we worked with had to be removed from their leadership duties because they failed to lead themselves and others. They resulted in hurting others as well as themselves. 

(3) Do you have an accountability partner or peer group? Empowering others to keep you accountable keeps you in line.  

I know for myself that just being aware of an upcoming session with my peer group allowed me to avoid making poor decisions. At each session, we had a list of agreed-upon questions that others could ask. Only you knew if those answers to the questions were true or not. Taking responsibility for our own actions was paramount to our success.

We are responsible for others’ and our own actions. Leading people is earned, not a given right!

(4) Lastly, Be Patient—with yourself.

Thomas Watson said it aptly: “Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.” People who cut corners are often categorized as impatient and lacking in self-discipline. However, if you follow through, you can achieve a breakthrough.

If you want to gain influence with people, solve problems. How you act or fail to act in those moments reveals to others just what our leadership competencies are.

Facing a personal failure. Taking a stand on an issue. Experiencing suffering or making an unpleasant choice—all these and more, when handled rightly, will either catapult us forward or eliminate our effectiveness. 

So, when asked, “How do you lead the toughest person in the room?”  You will have no problem answering that question.

Interested in mastering the art of self-leadership? Share your journey with us! What strategies have you implemented to overcome self-discipline challenges, and how has accountability impacted your personal and professional growth? Join the conversation using #SelfLeadershipJourney and inspire others by sharing your success stories, challenges, and insights on leading the toughest person in the room – yourself.

Dr. D

http://dcdardentalk.com

#LeadByExample #SelfLeadership #AccountabilityMatters #DisciplineIsFreedom #MasteringSelf #LeadershipChallenge #PersonalGrowthJourney #EmpowermentThroughAccountability #LeadershipSkills #BeYourOwnLeader #InfluenceThroughAction #LeadershipMindset

Think Like a Leaders: Sharpen Your Skills And Unlock Your Leadership Potential (Book Summary)

“Think Like a Leader” by Dr. Derrick Darden is a book that offers helpful advice and insights to help readers succeed in today’s busy workplace. Dr. Darden emphasizes the importance of attitude in overcoming mental barriers, building confidence, and seeing problems as opportunities for personal growth. Instead of relying solely on strategies, he aims to establish relationships with his readers and inspire them to achieve their full potential. By accepting challenges and believing in oneself, individuals can embark on a transformative path to reach their professional goals. They can use their strengths to navigate the challenging employment landscape.

One way leaders can help people develop their leadership skills is through self-awareness. Awareness of one’s emotions and personality allows individuals to identify strengths, weaknesses, values, and preferences. The S.M.A.R.T. model can also help with goal setting and provide direction and purpose. This leads to self-management, which improves communication, accountability, and conflict-resolution skills – all essential qualities for a leader.

Once leaders have established a strong foundation in the workplace, they should focus on maximizing growth and potential. Leaders can achieve this by finding the right environment and niche. This can be compared to a plant that can only grow in a suitable environment with good nutrition and air quality. Therefore, individuals should adjust their environment to change their circumstances and grow to their fullest potential.

Leaders should also be prepared to navigate workplace challenges using strategies such as effective communication, improving emotional intelligence, and changing their mindset. Leaders who are confident in facing conflicts create an environment where people can learn from and correct each other. Additionally, leaders should ensure that all employees share the same goals and objectives.

One of the key lessons from the book is that leaders should focus on personal development, which leads to growth. They should continue to develop their skills and knowledge to become better leaders, understand the people around them, improve communication, appreciate diversity, and build meaningful connections.

So, embrace the wisdom within “Think Like a Leader” and unlock your full potential in today’s competitive workplace. Available on Amazon eBooks

Dr. D

The Carolyle Destiny Group
https://linktr.ee/TheCarolyleDestinyGroup
#growthmindset #growthanddevelopment #personalgrowthanddevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #thecarolyledestinygroup

Breaking Free from the Grasshopper Mentality: Empowering Mindset Shifts for Success

How people think can be compared to the behavior of a trapped grasshopper. 
If you put a grasshopper in a jar with a lid over it, it will try to escape by using its powerful legs to smash the jar’s walls. At first, the grasshopper will appear persistent and determined to change its situation. However, after repeatedly trying and failing to escape, the grasshopper will eventually give up and stop trying. Even if you remove the lid, the grasshopper will not
attempt to escape because it has learned that its situation will never change.
This behavior is called the “grasshopper mentality.”

People with a grasshopper mentality have a negative attitude that prevents them from achieving their goals. They see themselves as inferior to others and believe they are incapable of success. They are afraid of taking risks or trying new things.

This mentality is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe that you are not capable of success, then you are less likely to try and more likely to fail. On the other hand, if you believe in yourself and your abilities, you are more likely to try and succeed. And I have to put myself in this scenario, also.

We all must change our mindset and take small steps to overcome the grasshopper mentality. We consistently need to surround ourselves with positive people who believe in us and be willing to work hard. Discarding mental roadblocks and accepting, responding, and adapting to change is also essential.
Remember, we may limit ourselves, not our circumstances in life.

So, if you are struggling with the grasshopper mentality, don’t give up. Keep believing in yourself and keep taking steps forward. The Grasshopper Mentality is something you can learn from. If you trap a grasshopper in a jar with a lid, it will use its legs to try and escape. Over time, it will give up
and stop trying to escape – even if you remove the lid. The grasshopper has become convinced that it will never be able to escape and has settled for its new life. This reminds me of people that I see every day who settle for what life throws at them. This mentality is harmful, and it stops the partakers from
achieving their goals. Those who participate in this mental behavior often see themselves as inferior to others and believe they are incapable of success. They may also be afraid of taking risks or trying new things.

The grasshopper mentality is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe that you are not capable of success, then you are less likely to try and more likely to fail. On the other hand, if you believe that you are capable of success, then you are more likely to try and more likely to succeed. Sounds simple, it
can be.

To overcome the grasshopper mentality, you need to change your mindset.  Self-affirmation and positive thinking can help you do this. You need to believe in yourselves and your abilities. Take small steps and surround yourself with positive people who believe in you. It’s essential to accept, respond, and adapt to change because you will get stuck, stagnant, or dormant if you don’t. You are in the same position without knowing our true potential.
Let go of these mental roadblocks that will limit you, and remember that you may limit yourself, not your circumstances in life.

If you are struggling with the grasshopper mentality, don’t give up. Keep believing in yourself and keep taking steps forward.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Dr. D

The Carolyle Destiny Group
https://linktr.ee/TheCarolyleDestinyGroup
#growthmindset #growthanddevelopment #personalgrowthanddevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #thecarolyledestinygroup

Unlock Your Path to Success: A Call to Action for Young Professionals

Are you a young professional looking to achieve success in your career? Are you tired of feeling lost and unsure of the steps to take? It’s time to take control of your destiny and start implementing a plan today.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Plan: Take the first step towards success by creating a detailed plan. Think about your goals and break them down into actionable steps. Laying out a roadmap will help you stay focused and organized on your journey.

2. Prepare: Once you have your plan in place, it’s time to put it into action. Visualize yourself successfully executing each step. This mindset will boost your confidence and motivation. Remember, preparation is the key to achieving success.

3. Practice: Success doesn’t come overnight; it requires consistent effort and practice. Just like Nelson Mandela, who practiced his plans for freedom while in jail, you need to consistently work on honing your skills and improving yourself. Keep practicing until you achieve your goals.

4. Be Resourceful: Learn to make the most of the resources at your disposal. Don’t let limited funds or opportunities hold you back. Think outside the box and find innovative ways to make progress. Focus on what you have and make the most of it.

5. Be Persistent: Persistence is the magic ingredient that separates successful individuals from the rest. Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success, just like Thomas Edison did with his light bulb invention. Keep trying, even when things get tough. It’s through persistence that you’ll achieve your dreams.

6. Give Back: True success is not just about personal accomplishments; it’s about giving back to others as well. When you’ve accomplished your goals, find ways to help and serve others. Giving back not only benefits those around you, but it also brings fulfillment and joy into your own life.

Remember, success is not measured by material possessions. It’s about having a plan, executing it consistently, and enjoying the journey. Take action now by writing out your own growth plan or consider joining a mastermind class to help you along the way. As Jim Rohn said, success is not something you pursue, but something you attract by becoming the best version of yourself.

Start today. Your destiny depends on the habits you cultivate. Don’t wait for tomorrow; start shaping your future now.

Dr. D

The Carolyle Destiny Group
https://linktr.ee/TheCarolyleDestinyGroup
#growthmindset #growthanddevelopment #personalgrowthanddevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #thecarolyledestinygroup