2026 Goals
2025 Recap
2025 wasn’t a great year for me mentally. I’ve become unsure of myself. Confidence I had has disappeared. Life is wavy.
I feel I’m falling back into a “lost” period like I was in my mid 20s.
This time I’m more equipped to handle it. I know the thought patterns that create trouble. Yet, I still find them impossible to completely avoid.
My uncertainty mainly comes from work. That’s where it started then I’ve let those stresses and thought patterns permeate into different areas of my life. I’m able to separate it out at times and forget it, which I didn’t do in the past cycle.
I’m unsure in what I’m doing. Stopping Tuckedito was the right move, but I don’t know what the next right move is.
It’s nice not being financially pressed, yet I still feel financially pressed.
Why?
I guess because I’m not 100% financially free yet, I just have some cushion. But I’m not providing any value to the market on my own to increase that cushion.
The back half of the year I’ve tried to provide value through a service business, but haven’t gotten any market validation. The signal that sends me is that I’m not valuable.
Where my career stands now and our financial position Mary Kate will have to go back to work eventually. That makes me feel like a failure.
I do feel I have value to provide. I can see it. I just don’t believe in myself to ever convince the market I have value to provide.
And if I can’t convince the market then I fail.
At times I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, but I know thats common so I don’t stress to much over that.
Anyway, a somewhat positive note.
Violet has been amazing. A truly great experience so far, but her presence weighs on my mind. It compounds the pain of the uncertainty. I don’t like being a lost dad. I know I’ll figure my shit out eventually, it’s all just mental.
Hoping to end my 2026 recap next year more positively.
2026
Focusing on fitness and family mostly this year. Family is different now, with Violet in the picture. I just want to make sure she’s my main priority. Hard not for her to be so I guess just keeping that up.
What I do see as difficult is maintaining a romantic relationship with Mary Kate. Well not difficult, but it needs to be prioritized and consciously maintained. I love Violet but I know she can’t be our entire relationship for the entire year, like she has been for the last month.
I want to make money with my business, but I don’t foresee that happening if I’m being honest. So, I am reluctant to make a goal out of it as it feels a bit unachievable to me.
Counterintuitively, I’m still trying. I guess I just can’t give up on it yet.
Eventually I will have to.
Sometimes I want to get a job, just be told what to do. Other times that sounds terrible.
It’s almost like I’m just waiting for the right time. When that right time comes hopefully I can find something to do that makes money and I don’t hate. I just want to focus on enjoying all hours of the day.
So here are my goals. I didn’t shoot to high this year, just looking for small improvement to start some positive mental momentum
Fitness Goals
Bench 225 for 5 (current: 185 for 5)
Deadlift 305 max (current: 225)
Squat 255 (current: 225)
Mile 6:00 (current: 6:57)
Pull-ups: 20 straight (current: 14)
Push-ups: 50 straight (current: 34)
Bodyweight: 155 lbs (current: 175)
Lifestyle Goals
Hit calorie deficient targets 6 days per week
Monthly date night with mk
Daily 60 minutes talking to Violet, no distractions
Finally figure out what I like doing so I can stop feeling so anxious
Misogi 2026
Build complete backyard fire pit/lounge area in 72 hours (Friday night through Monday morning, no help, finish or live with the consequences). Add a charcoal grill section. To make this I’ll generate blueprints, materials list, mockups. Document it all. before and after pics, what was hard, what was easy
Mini Adventures
Some I have planned for the year. Trying to do around one per month,
Record a video throughout the day of a 30-minute "advice to Violet when she's 25". different scenes, then edit end of day
Long green ribbon trail coffee and conversation and hike then afternoon beers in ambler
Reach max whoop strain in a day
Sunrise trail run with violet at valley forge
Hike the entire length of the Wissahickon Trail carrying a 40 lb pack or weighted vest
Rent a kayak for 4 hours on the Delaware or Schuylkill, just paddle
Complete a 2 day fast
