As the calendar turns and we step into a new year, many of us feel the pull to set resolutions. I have gone through this process for a number of years, often posting my plans or pledges here. For some, it’s about ambitious goals while for others, it’s about gentle intentions. For me, my resolutions are now less about rigid targets and more about creating a balance across the different dimensions of my life. After all, life is a journey, one we know the inevitable destination of, so the real challenge is to make the most of the path we walk.
Why Balance Matters
I have waxed lyrical about balance across a number of areas for many years, acknowledging that things that appear simple are seldom so. In considering life and the year ahead, a few years ago I came across a framework that resonated with me. You can see it here. It encouraged looking at life through multiple lenses:
- Relationships
- Body, Mind, and Spirit
- Community and Society
- Job, Learning and Finances
- Interests and Entertainment
- Personal Care
This approach reminds me that success in one area should not come at the expense of another. It’s easy to become hyper-focused on professional achievements or financial growth, but what about health, friendships, or personal joy? It is about thinking more broadly about what it means to be a human being, which with all the discussion and increasing use of AI may become all the more important. It’s also worth noting that all your resolutions don’t need to be new, they can simply be to continue doing what you are doing currently. There is no point seeking to fix that which isn’t broken.
Targets but with a caveat
Targets give us direction, but they shouldn’t become blinders. I have seen various people post as to avoiding setting targets or outcomes, and about looking at different approaches more focussed on habits or thinking or similar. In setting my goals for 2026 I want to avoid the trap of chasing goals so relentlessly that I miss the beauty of the journey or the unexpected opportunities that arise along the way. That said, I still find targets useful. Life rarely unfolds according to plan, and I can certainly speak from a degree of personal, and sometimes painful, experience there. The unexpected will happen, sometimes delightfully, sometimes disruptively, and adaptability is key. Having lived through financial challenges, redundancy, emigrating abroad and divorce, I think I am more accepting of the unexpected and the difficult now than I was when I was younger. One of the most liberating lessons I’ve learned is that change is inevitable. The unexpected is, by definition, unpredictable. When circumstances shift, we need to pivot without guilt or frustration, accepting goals which may remain unfulfilled while accepting that new goals may have been added along the way.
Who are the goals for?
Ultimately, resolutions should serve you. They are deeply personal, and there’s no universal formula. For some, the best resolution might be not to make any at all, and that’s perfectly fine. For me, it’s about maximising the journey, and having some targets to routinely revisit and measure progress against helps me significantly. This year, as with last I suspect I wont share my goals here, although I likely will share some thoughts at the end of the year as to how I progressed against my goals.
We all know the endpoint of life, which makes the journey itself precious. Lets make 2026 a great year!
Technology and Learning