2024: A Year of Ups and Downs, and Why 2025 is All About Improvement
Recently, I stumbled upon a video about planning for the year, and it hit me—I’ve been doing exactly what the video described for the past few years. You know how it goes: super motivated in January, forgetting half the plan by February, and completely giving up by March. Sound familiar? Check it: https://youtu.be/NVGuFdX5guE?si=Iz7TTCBSMnOwHcaR
The video also suggested picking a theme for the year, something to guide all your activities and goals. The idea is that even if you’re not super active in the first month, you can still make progress over the year as long as everything ties back to your theme. And honestly, that makes a lot of sense.
From a data perspective, it’s all about how you frame it. If you only look at a single month, you might feel like you’re failing. But if you zoom out and see the whole year, it’s a different story. After all, it’s a year-long plan, not a monthly sprint.
So, after some thought, I’ve decided my theme for 2025 is Improvement.
2024: A Rollercoaster Year
Let’s start with the good stuff because, hey, why not? The first half of 2024 was pretty great. Work was going well, I was sticking to a healthy lifestyle, and my family was doing good. Plus, I got to travel to some amazing places—Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Thailand. Not bad, right?
The highlight? Speaking at Flink Forward 2024 in Berlin. It was such an honor, and the trip around Europe was unforgettable. It was my first time there, and everything felt so different—the culture, the architecture, the food. I’ll definitely write more about this trip in another post because there’s just too much to share in one go.
But then, December happened. It felt like one bad thing after another, and no matter how hard I tried to fix things, it just kept getting worse. It was like that movie Final Destination—you know, where no matter what you do, the outcome is the same. I don’t want to go into too much detail (some things are better kept private), but let’s just say it was mostly career-related.
On the bright side, it was a wake-up call. It made me rethink my future, what I really want to focus on, and how I’ve been stuck in my comfort zone for way too long. Someone told me it’s a “quarter-life crisis” since I’m turning 35 soon. Maybe they’re right. Either way, it’s time for a change.
2025: A Year of Improvement
So, why “Improvement”? Honestly, I feel like I’ve been stuck in this cycle of starting things but never really finishing them. I learn new things, but I don’t apply them. I have ideas, but I don’t follow through. It’s like everything is just… hanging there, incomplete.
This year, I want to change that. I’m keeping it simple and focusing on just two things:
Read More Reading has always been a way for me to gain new perspectives and think more critically. It’s not just about books—there are so many great blogs and articles out there about tech, leadership, management, and career growth. I want to make reading a regular habit, not just something I do when I have free time (which, let’s be honest, is never).
Write More Writing helps me organize my thoughts and solidify what I’ve learned. It’s like a reality check for my knowledge. Plus, it’s a great way to share what I’ve learned with others. I’ve been meaning to write more, but I always put it off. Not this year.
Final Thoughts
2024 was a mix of highs and lows, but it taught me a lot. And while I’m not exactly where I want to be, I’m ready to make 2025 a year of growth and improvement. It’s not about being perfect or doing everything at once—it’s about making consistent progress, one step at a time.
So, here’s to 2025: a year of reading, writing, and, most importantly, improving.