The Map You Made This Year

Before the Year Ends, Take a Clear Look at Where You’ve Been

Before you jump into resolutions or next year’s planning, slow down for a moment. Look back. Not to critique yourself, and not to tally wins and losses, but to understand what actually happened.

At Cartography, we believe progress leaves a trace. Every decision, every adjustment, every risk taken shapes the landscape of your firm. Many law firms move so quickly toward what’s next that they never pause to see how far they’ve already come.

December gives you that space. This is the time to study the map you created over the past year.

Where did you move forward in ways you didn’t expect?

Progress does not always arrive with a clear marker. Often, it shows up in smaller ways. A case that felt like the right fit. A team member stepping into more responsibility. Messaging that finally sounds like it belongs to you.

Those moments are easy to overlook, but they carry weight. They reflect decisions that are beginning to align and work that is moving in the right direction.

What paths took more time than you planned?

Every firm has them. A process slows down. A project becomes more layered. A matter requires more time and attention than you planned for.

Those experiences are easy to label as setbacks, but they offer something useful. They reveal where work is more complex, where systems need reinforcement, and where future planning needs more room.

Paying attention to that terrain helps you make clearer decisions about what comes next.

What did this year teach you about your firm?

A map does more than show direction. It shows character.

This year likely revealed how your firm responds under pressure, how adaptable your team is, and what kind of work truly energizes you. It may have also clarified what no longer feels aligned.

Those insights are valuable. They shape better decisions going forward.

What deserves to be marked and carried into next year?

Not everything from this year needs to come with you, but some things absolutely should.

A campaign that resonated. A partnership that worked well. A clearer voice. A more confident approach. These are the points worth marking, the ones that help orient your plans for the year ahead.

The map you made this year tells a real story. It reflects where you have been and sets the foundation for where you want to go next.

At Cartography, our work begins by helping you see that story clearly, then helping you draw what comes next with intention.

Happy New Year from the Cartography team!