Humans have a tendency to break down achievements into numerical chapters, so we use each year—especially its end—as a way to reflect.
It’s hard to imagine that I started this year by running a marathon. How much can change in a year! Unfortunately, my little midlife crisis of running soon came to an end as the summer months got hotter, and I stopped looking after myself. However, I’ve learned how important this running chapter was to me. While the running became limited later on due to the heat of Dubai and the risk of getting bitten by stray dogs in South America, it’s something that truly helped me mentally.
This year has been a huge year of CHANGE for me personally. I’ve capitalised that word because it was the theme I chose for the year.
Not sure what I mean? Well, each year, I choose a word as a pillar for the goals I set for myself. It's a great way to remove New Year resolutions that we often forget.
At the start of 2024, I knew I wanted change in my life, building on how running and setting goals had already had such a profound effect on me. To achieve CHANGE, I wanted to focus on a few specific things:
Change role or position
Change country
Change my mindset
Oh, and...
Change my marital status—getting married, babyyy!
You get the idea. From there, I mapped out achievable ways to accomplish these abstract goals. For example, to change my country, I knew the process would involve moving home, which required setting systematic steps: resigning, moving out of accommodation, and so on.
This year has been a tremendous period of personal growth and accomplishment. I allowed myself to be a kid again, taking a break from what many call "the matrix".
While I’ve said I didn’t achieve much professionally, I’m reminded that after stepping back from teaching earlier this year, many of my personal achievements have also become professional ones. For instance, when I met with KHDA, it was an opportunity that stemmed from my personal creative efforts—something I’m not sure would have happened otherwise.
If CHANGE was the theme, here’s what actually happened:
I left teaching at the start of the year and took a break.
I left the country I’d called home for six years and am still adjusting back in the UK while typing this. It’s very dark outside at 7:30 a.m., which is... different.
I married my beautiful wife.
I accomplished my biggest dream: travelling for three months in South America.
I truly switched off—a rarity for a teacher.
Of course, these changes came with challenges. They also make me think about the word for next year.
When you think about next year, here are some questions to consider:
What am I most proud of this year?
What made me feel happy and fulfilled?
What drained my energy the most?
What is my purpose?
Do I like the journey I’m on?
What tools do I need to achieve my goals?
Which area of life received the most attention? The least?
How could I be a better partner?
If I repeated this month for the next 12, where would I end up?
For me, the last question is a perfect reflection tool because it helps align your goals with your actions.
For instance, I ask myself: What did I do as a partner or friend this month to make it special? Did this month align with my chosen word? Returning home has been exhausting, so that needs to change.
So, how does one word steer a whole year? It becomes a beacon. Often, we set grand goals that fail when we don’t achieve them in the first month. Having one word at the back of your mind can be a game changer.
In the past, I’ve chosen:
Consistency: Because I was quite scattered in my efforts.
Abundance: To overcome a scarcity mindset and focus on sharing more freely.
This year, my word is Community.
My goals around this include:
Social media: Featuring others on my platforms to share their value (linking back to abundance).
Business: Building a community where teachers can learn, share ideas, and break free of barriers holding them back.
Personal: Actively participating in my local community, rediscovering old hobbies.
Deeply personal: Checking in more often with loved ones and close friends—my inner circle.
So, what’s your word?
There are countless options: Diversity, Collaboration, Freedom, Foundation (one I considered), Trust, Creativity, Legacy, Humour, Dedication... you get the idea.
Pick a word you can use to centralise your goals—it’s almost like a personal success criterion.
I’d love to hear what your goal is and how you’re planning to get there.
Feel free to reply to this email.
Let’s smash next year!
Thomas
Looking at things that could help you smash next year? Check out the guides below.
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