New Year, New Me?

Well, I hope not!

For some reason, this year I’ve heard or read this popular phrase, “New Year, New You”, everywhere. People are getting into the feeling that this is the year to accomplish everything; To lose weight, start a side business, find the other half, run a marathon, increase productivity and energy levels by 50% and of course, get a good promotion at work.

Entering this motivational bubble at the beginning of the year is easy — almost everybody does it, it is part of the New Year’s first common conversation.

But what about sticking to it all year long?

I think most know the answer to that.

Does writing your goals down help?

Last year, I didn’t manage to write my systems and goals for 2025. I was loaded with work and also lacked the motivation to go the extra mile to write it.

So, how did it go in 2025 for me, then?

My main focus at the beginning of 2025 was my work. I had started a new job in a very niche sector, and my thinking was to take 2025 as the year when I would spend time getting to learn more about the sector outside work hours.

I did not write it down, and by the end of January, I forgot about it completely. My focus switched to something else, and I don’t even remember what it was. I got distracted.

I also almost stopped reading entirely, and got kinda addicted to watching garbage on YouTube.

But, it wasn’t all bad, though!

I stuck to tracking my finances, simplified regular investing, and exercising regularly.

Despite not having the best of years of personal development, some of the previous years’ work on building good habits hasn’t lost momentum.

Do I then need a New Me?

I am going to adapt that slightly: New Year, Better Me.

Financial Systems / Goals

Let’s dig into my systems and goals for 2026, then. Some of them are a complete copy of 2024’s — these are what I consider key habits that I surely don’t want to lose focus on maintaining or improving.

Keep Tracking Income and Expenses Monthly

This habit has proved to be essential to me — documenting with my spreadsheets once a month is a must.

As a goal, I expect to save close to 40% of my income.

Keep Investing in S&S ISA and Pension Regularly

As defined in my wealth accumulation plan, investing savings into ISAs and pensions is another of my must-do systems.

As a goal, for fun, I am going to say hitting a net worth of €1,000,000. Will 2026 be the year I hit it?

Non-Financial Systems / Goals

Read 5 Pages a Day

Reading 5 pages a day may seem like nothing, but if done continuously, it is 1825 pages a year, which depending on the book length, can be between 4–7 books a year.

My goal is to read 5 books.

Exercise Regularly

This is another basic habit. Regular exercise is mandatory for me. It makes me feel healthier, stronger and better overall. I normally hit the gym 5 times a week, and in addition, I go hiking, running, swimming or play badminton on weekends.

Eat Healthier

I keep failing at this one. I don’t eat terribly unhealthy food, but I either eat too much, keep having that little sweet that looks harmless, and in general, I consume more calories than I burn.

My goal is to reduce body fat to 22% or less (currently XXXX )

Learn a new skill: Play Guitar

A friend of mine gifted me an electric guitar a year ago. I promised him I would make it count and learn how to play guitar. I barely got started in 2025; this year, I want to do better.

My goal is to play a mid-level solo song. Not sure how feasible it is to accomplish that yet, but I need to start from somewhere.

Complete a course on Generative AI or Python Programming

Generative AI is on the rise and changing quickly. A short course will surely not be a waste of time. If I have time, programming with Python has also been on my list for years now, but I never actually got started seriously.

Refresh / Update Blog

Some sections of this blog have become outdated. I have not updated my about page for years. Even the short description about me states I am a mid-thirties, but I am now in my 40s! 😨 This blog requires some love.

These are all my systems and goals for 2026. For all the readers who had set goals — good luck and all the best 🙂