It seems every company is copying Spotify’s Wrapped phenomenon to capture our interest and enthusiasm for the year ahead. Whether you welcome or cringe at this onslaught of personal behavior data (or both), it’s not only big tech that can use this information for personal gain. You can too. This “gifted” data can help you understand how you’re spending your time, re-assess your priorities, and make plans to ensure that next year’s “wraps” are less cringe-worthy. Here’s a simple roadmap that works for individuals and organizations:

Analyze the results honestly: I felt like I went to the gym a lot. But did I really? What does the data say about my activity? What times and locations seemed to work well? What were the apparent barriers to exercise, and what were the enablers?

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize: Data is a critical ingredient to help narrow in on what we care about improving and what we don’t. I listened to a lot of banal and uninventive dance music in 2024? Interesting, but it turns out that I don’t care. It gives me energy and does no harm (my kids might disagree on this point). But I rarely met my step goal this year? This matters. I care about my health because I want to live a long and comfortable life. Data helps me assess what I care about and why so I can prioritize my effort. If I try to improve every area of life in 2025, I will undoubtedly be very disappointed by the results.

Define clear and measurable goals: Based on last year’s data, what are reasonable expectations for 2025? What data will be available to track effort along the way in order to adjust and improve my strategy over the course of the year? Do I need to access additional data?

Strategize: What’s a clear, specific and achievable plan to help ensure success? Do I need to change routines, purchase new subscriptions or identify accountability mechanisms?

These simple, data-based steps can benefit us as individuals, and they are just as critical for organizations. Do you have a clear sense for what your team accomplished in 2024 and what you want to achieve in 2025? What areas do you want to prioritize, and which are not worth the effort? Do you have the data and systems you need to track your progress honestly and effectively? Do you have staff who are motivated by the why behind what you’re doing, and who understand how you’re going to achieve it?

If you’re not quite there, now is the time to reflect on what your organizational “wrapped” looked like in 2024. Are you happy with it? What do you want to do more of, and what isn’t getting you closer to where you want to be? What should your 2025 strategic plans look like, and how will you motivate your team to achieve them?

Your 2025 data starts compiling on January 1st. Take this moment to make sure you and your team are ready to drive forward towards the “wrapped” you want from day one.