At this time is my birthday. Yearly, since I turned 18, I’ve written a weblog put up with some private reflections on the earlier 12 months and a few plans for the longer term.

This 12 months was notable for the conclusion of my twelve-month Foundations challenge, which I technically completed final month. I made a decision for logistical causes to work on and write about my very own Foundations challenge three months forward of the Foundations course and articles printed right here. So regardless that this 12 months was largely centered across the challenge, to keep away from confusion, I’ll save my ideas for when the course wraps up on the finish of September.

I had a great 12 months. I traveled to Mexico and North Macedonia, which gave me an opportunity to make use of my Spanish and Macedonian once more. I ran my first marathon. I learn over 100 books.

Greater than something, this 12 months had a great work-life steadiness. Since having children, I’ve undoubtedly softened in my ambitions. Lots of the potential achievements that might have been engaging in my early twenties now really feel like traps in disguise. I’m reminded of a quote I heard someplace that, on the finish of your profession, the one people who find themselves going to recollect you labored additional time are your children.

On the identical time, I’m acutely conscious that steadiness is a luxurious. I’ve buddies with companies much like mine who’ve needed to downsize significantly. Luck, as a lot as onerous work and sensible choices, issues on this line of labor. I’m grateful that mine has continued to this point.

Plans for the Subsequent Twelve Months

I’ve plenty of initiatives I’m hoping to complete over the following 12 months.

For work, one in all my largest goes to be holding the second session of Foundations. We’re planning on working the course to line up with the 2026 calendar 12 months, letting in college students in November. Final time the course felt prefer it began a bit abruptly, so this further time ought to assist us correctly put together the scholars.

This time, we’re additionally making an attempt to create a e-book/journal/habit-tracker with among the very important details about the challenge to accompany the course. We plan to make it obtainable for many who are unable to hitch, to allow them to comply with alongside.

I even have some future course initiatives I’m going to start out researching for subsequent 12 months. Whereas the Foundations launch was an awesome success that propped up our enterprise during the last 12 months, it’s clear that we waited a bit too lengthy between choices—Lifetime of Focus, my earlier providing with Cal Newport, is sort of 5 years outdated.

Outdoors of labor, I’m going to proceed working. I’m hoping to run the Vancouver half marathon subsequent 12 months, together with a neighborhood 16 km race that begins at sea stage and winds up on the high of a mountain. I’d additionally prefer to strive a triathlon in some unspecified time in the future. I really feel pretty assured with swimming and working, so it should largely be a matter of constructing extra confidence on the bike.

Intellectually, I’m hoping to make use of this 12 months to develop my breadth in studying a bit. I had set such a excessive bar for my studying throughout the challenge final 12 months that it made it onerous to make time for off-topic books.

I’m additionally hoping to cycle by the Foundations challenge for a second time, pushing myself in just a few of the areas I need to deepen and firming up a few the areas the place I need to do a greater job.

Greater than something, I really feel extremely grateful. My life has been good, and I do know that I owe loads of that to the assist from readers such as you. I hope you’ll proceed to comply with me subsequent 12 months, and I’ll do my greatest to share no matter I study with you!