2026: No Resolutions, Just Refresh
Every January, the world erupts in a frenzy of resolutions.
New Year, new me. New goals, new habits, new promises to myself.
But here's what I've learned: resolutions are broken before February even arrives.
This year, I'm not making resolutions. I'm making a refresh.
Why I'm Not Making Resolutions Anymore
Resolutions are built on a lie: that willpower alone can sustain change.
They're typically:
- Vague: "Get healthier," "Be more productive"
- Unsustainable: Based on motivation, not systems
- Shame-inducing: When they fail (and they do), you feel like you failed
- Disconnected from identity: They're things you should do, not things you want to become
I spent years chasing resolutions, only to abandon them by mid-January. The cycle was exhausting.
So I stopped.
What I'm Doing Instead: A Refresh Mindset
Instead of resolutions, I'm adopting a refresh — a deliberate recalibration of how I show up in 2026.
A refresh isn't about perfection. It's about intention.
It's asking: Who do I want to become? What kind of year do I want to build?
What I'm Going to Do in 2026
1. Lot of Self-Love and Self-Care
For years, I treated self-care as a luxury — something to do when I had time.
Now I see it as foundational.
Self-love means:
- Honoring my energy levels, not fighting them
- Saying "no" without guilt
- Investing in my physical and mental health
- Celebrating small wins, not just big milestones
- Being kind to myself when I stumble
You can't build anything meaningful from a place of depletion. So this year, I'm putting myself first — not selfishly, but strategically.
2. Focus on Quality Learning and Building Products
I'm done chasing quantity.
No more:
- Consuming endless content without applying it
- Starting projects I won't finish
- Learning for the sake of learning
Instead, I'm committing to:
- Deep dives into topics that matter to my craft
- Building real products that solve real problems
- Learning through doing, not just consuming
- Shipping over perfecting — getting work out into the world
Quality over quantity. Depth over breadth. Impact over activity.
3. Reading Books and Incorporating Them Into My Life
Books are different from blog posts, tweets, and videos.
They demand sustained attention. They reward deep thinking. They change you when you let them.
This year, I'm:
- Reading intentionally — choosing books that align with my growth areas
- Taking notes as I read, capturing ideas that resonate
- Implementing what I learn — not just consuming, but applying
- Reflecting on key insights — how does this change my thinking?
- Sharing what I learn — discussing books with others, writing about them
Books are compressed wisdom from people who've spent years thinking deeply about a subject. I'm treating them as mentors, not just entertainment.
4. Improve on Growth Mindset and Productivity
A growth mindset isn't about being positive all the time. It's about seeing challenges as opportunities and failures as data.
This year, I'm:
- Reframing obstacles as learning moments
- Asking "What can I learn from this?" instead of "Why did this happen to me?"
- Celebrating effort and progress, not just outcomes
- Building systems that compound — small, consistent actions that add up
Productivity isn't about doing more. It's about doing what matters most, consistently.
5. Improve on Time Management and Organization Skills
Time is the one resource I can't get back.
So I'm getting serious about:
- Protecting deep work time — no meetings, no distractions
- Batching similar tasks to reduce context switching
- Saying no to good opportunities to say yes to great ones
- Organizing my life so decisions are easier and friction is lower
- Tracking what actually works — not guessing, measuring
When your time is organized, your mind is free to do creative work.
6. Improve on Communication and Social Skills
The best ideas don't matter if you can't communicate them.
I'm investing in:
- Writing clearly — one blog post per month on my blog
- Speaking with intention — fewer words, more impact
- Listening deeply — understanding before being understood
- Networking intentionally — building real relationships, not collecting contacts
- Being vulnerable — sharing my journey, not just my wins
Communication is a skill. And like all skills, it improves with deliberate practice.
7. Networking and Building Relationships
In 2025, I realized that relationships are the real currency.
Not transactional connections. Real relationships.
This year, I'm:
- Reaching out to people I admire and want to learn from
- Showing genuine interest in their work and journey
- Offering value first — not asking for favors
- Building a community around shared interests and growth
- Maintaining relationships over time, not just when I need something
The best opportunities, collaborations, and growth come from people who know, like, and trust you.
The Big Goal: Become 10x Better Than Last Year
This isn't about being 10x smarter or 10x faster.
It's about being 10x more intentional.
10x better means:
- Clearer thinking — understanding problems deeply before solving them
- Better decisions — saying yes to what matters, no to what doesn't
- Deeper relationships — fewer people, more meaningful connections
- Higher quality work — fewer projects, more impact
- More resilience — learning from failures, not being crushed by them
- Greater self-awareness — knowing my strengths, limits, and values
10x improvement isn't a sprint. It's a compound effect of small, consistent choices.
How This Actually Works
Here's the thing about a refresh: it's not about willpower. It's about systems.
I'm not relying on motivation to:
- Read books (I've blocked time on my calendar)
- Write monthly blog posts (it's scheduled)
- Reflect on my progress (I have a weekly ritual)
- Build products (I've carved out deep work time)
- Nurture relationships (I have a system for staying in touch)
When you remove the need for willpower, you remove the possibility of failure.
The Invitation
If you're tired of resolutions too, I invite you to join me in this refresh.
Not by copying my goals, but by asking yourself:
- Who do I want to become in 2026?
- What systems can I build to make that inevitable?
- What am I willing to let go of to make space for what matters?
This year isn't about doing more. It's about being more intentional.
✉️ I'd love to hear about your refresh for 2026 — especially if you're ditching resolutions too. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or subscribe to my Substack for monthly reflections on growth, learning, and building in public.