One to Carry Forward. One to Leave Behind.
You may have seen my message last week about ‘Why New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work’. If not it’s here.
If the NY resolutions don’t work, what does? Being a positive soul, I thought I should at least offer a counter.
Instead of asking what you want to achieve in 2026, ask two simpler questions.
What’s one thing worth carrying forward?
And what’s one thing you are ready to leave behind?
It’s easy to get caught up in thinking that growth comes from adding more. More effort, more discipline, more ambition.
The problem with adding more, is that it can be a bit like Pizza Hut buffet in the 90’s.
You can load your bowl with as much as you want. But only once.
Did you learn the trick with the cucumber slices around the edge of the bowl? Game changer.
The problem is, once you’ve added and added when something good comes along, there’s no room. Or worse, you add it only for it to fall off.
Some of the most powerful changes happen not when we add but when we remove.
Here are a few gentle pairings you might want to sit with. No need to do them all.
Consider:
One habit to strengthen. One habit to soften.
One belief to trust. One belief to question.
One relationship to cultivate. One to rebalance.
One thing to simplify. One thing to add detail.
One promise to keep. One expectation to release.
Notice how none of these ask you to become someone else.
They just ask you to be more intentional about who you are.
Most lasting change is quiet. It happens in small decisions repeated over time.
Could 2026 be less about doing more, but about doing what matters?
You do not need a perfect plan. Just start here with one thing to carry forward and one thing to release.
Be Brilliant!
Michael
Would you like a more in-depth version of this newsletter? You can read the Substack version with my what I want to carry forward and what I want to leave behind commitments here.
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