Every Monday I throw out a challenge to readers to help arc you toward new ideas, uncomfortable places, and ultimately growth.

This week: Make a list, check it twice.

We are less than three weeks away from the end of the calendar year. It’s a time to work hard (the orders are flying for about 10 more days, then that’s it), and it’s also a time to start to put the year to bed.

One of the key parts of putting a year to bed is recognizing those that did good for you. Those that helped you when you needed it, gave you the tools and the permission to succeed, and were integral to you moving your career forward.

This week: make a list, check it twice. Make sure you get everybody written down by Friday. Then, from Friday until the end of the year, write enough thank you cards every morning to spread the work out evenly.

Thank you cards, handwritten, have become more powerful than ever in our email-driven / $5 Starbucks gift card society. Take the time to say the right things to the right people.

Oh, and keep that list within reach. You’ll need to know who to turn to in the new year.