The year 2014 is quickly coming to an end. For some, it has been a year of ups and downs, while for others, it has been a year to embrace. For others still, 2014 cannot come to an end fast enough, and a new year will be a welcome sight.

Regardless of the type of year you have had in 2014, you can always learn from your defeats, your heartaches, your triumphs and the goals you achieved.

At the conclusion of each year, the experiences of the past year should be assessed and looked at as learning opportunities. The mistakes that we made teach us to not make similar ones in the future and provide us a new path to follow. Our achievements can teach us sportsmanship, how to embrace love and friendship, or how hard work pays off. This year-end self-evaluation helps us to grow into the person we aspire to be. We should not view our mistakes as defeats but, rather, as opportunities for learning and growth.

After self-evaluation, the next step should be goal setting. The beginning of a new year traditionally is a time of resolution and provides the perfect time to start a new positive habit or raise an existing passion to a new level. New Year’s resolutions are usually broken by February, and this is often because one’s goals are too lofty to maintain. Just like a baby must first learn to crawl before it takes its first step, one should break his/her goals into small manageable pieces.

In order to find success, you should focus on small, more attainable conquests that take shorter periods of time. For example, if losing 20 pounds is your final goal, make small changes that will lead to this goal. Focus on changing habits like drinking soda. Meeting that small goal may help you get to your larger, more important one. And, of course, don’t forget to surround yourself with people who will motivate you on your journey to success.

Whether 2014 was a good year or bad year, every experience should be viewed as a learning experience. These learning experiences are taken into the New Year and given a new light in order to make 2015 another year where you grow more and learn from your experiences.