What We Cover:

• Why annual reflection matters for product people


• How Petra and Teresa each started their reflection habits


• The evolution from rigid goals to values and themes


• How paper notebooks, art projects, and “Dear Data” shaped Petra’s approach


• The influence of Chris Guillebeau’s annual review process on Teresa


• The difference between outcome goals and process goals


• How reflection helps uncover unrealistic expectations (and let them go)


• The “100 wishes” exercise — why it’s powerful and surprisingly difficult


• How to recognize patterns across years to guide future decisions


• Building in spaciousness vs. over-scheduling


• What to do when the year doesn’t go to plan (and why that’s normal)


• Why your reflection process should flex with how you learn and stay motivated


• The role of values, themes, and decade-level intentions


• Balancing public sharing with private processing

Resources & Links:

• Follow Teresa Torres: https://ProductTalk.org


• Follow Petra Wille: https://Petra-Wille.com

Mentioned in the episode:

• Dear Data by Giorgia Lupi & Stefanie Posavec


• Chris Guillebeau’s How to Conduct Your Own Annual Review from The Art of Nonconformity blog


• Atomic Habits by James Clear


• Dealing with Setbacks - All Things Product with Teresa & Petra


• Stefan Sagmeister’s The Power of Time Off (TED Talk)


• Previous episode - Role of Leadership in Transformations


• Paul Graham’s Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule


• What I’m Saying No to This Year—And Why blog post by Teresa


• Ask Teresa: My Leaders Still Want Roadmaps with Timelines—What Should I Do? blog post by Teresa


• Scaling Impact: A Look at the Year Ahead (2022) blog post by Teresa


• Let’s Connect in 2025: A Look at the Year Ahead blog post by Teresa


• The Interview Coach by Teresa


• Petra’s reflections and her 2026 version