My Goals For 2025

    I love this time of year for many reasons (and hate it for many more) but one of my favorite things about this time of year is that taking time away from work for the holidays allows me time to reflect on what is going well in my life and what needs to change.

    In previous years, I have set goals in several different ways. Last year, I set monthly goals which linked to longer term goals and checked in on my progress regularly. This worked well in some areas and not so well in others so this year I am aiming to tweak my approach.

    A Word of the Year

    My wife used the notion of a word of the year last year and it worked incredibly well for her so this year I am going to give this a shot myself. After much reflection, I have chosen a word that is important to me. Simplicity.

    Simplicity

    I think it is important to define what I mean by simplicity. Simple does not mean easy, far from it. Simplicity means only accepting things into my life that reduce stress, decision fatigue and fractured focus.

    I will try to frame everything I do and accept into my life this year around simplicity. Do I want to take on more responsibility at work? Will that make my life simpler? How do I want to spend my leisure time? Does that lead to simpler decision making? Do I want to install smart lights in my home when I have a perfectly serviceable light switch right there on the wall? Hell No!

    In order to achieve this, I will need more than simply some motivation, it will require the discipline to say no things that might be interesting, or might give me favour with my boss. Basically, if it isn’t a hell yes, it is a no. Will I miss out on some potentially interesting life experiences? Perhaps, but this is a risk I am willing to take to keep my life simple.

    Changes

    So, with simplicity in mind, I have some changes that I can make in January to ensure that I set myself up for success. These are:

    • Consider whether the tech lead role is still where I want to be or whether being an IC would be a better fit
    • Cancel any products that I “own” under a digital subscription model
    • Quit social media/brain rot
    • Find balance by focussing on a small number of hobbies that require little to no equipment
      • Running
      • Reading
      • Writing
      • Fly Fishing
      • Programming
      • Playing Classical Guitar

    I plan to check in on my goals daily through building a small journalling habit with the purpose of allowing me to ask myself a few questions each day and reflect on how I am spending my time. These questions are:

    • Am I content in my work?
    • Did I balance work and life as well as I could have today?
    • Did I spend time outside exercising?
    • Am I working towards the goals I have set?
    • What is currently in my way? (blockers)
    • Am I using my income wisely?

    As with all plans, I expect for things to get in the way and to face numerous challenges along the way but the way I see it, if I can make only 20% of these changes stick, that would be a big improvement. Let’s get started and find out.

    :wq!