2025-12-10
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Last year, I set myself 25 goals for 2025. I don't think a lot of my goals were really achievable, and I also change my focusses during that year, which meant that the goals I set weren't really all that good.
Still, I think it might be good to try to do it again, but this time of course it is 26 for 2026. I'm going to try set the goals as more realistic, and see where it gets me.
I really let exercise slide this year, so in 2026 I want to get back on track. I want goals which are not too punitive, but also reasonable.
1. Go to the gym 96 times in the year. This amounts to eight times per month, or twice a week, which I think is perfectly feasible!
2. Lose a stone and keep it off.
3. Be able to do twenty press-ups in a row, and five pull-ups.
4. Read 36 books. This amounts to three per month, which I think is feasible if I focus more time on reading compared to other things.
5. Read one book in Japanese.
6. Read one book in Italian.
7. Write weeknotes and monthnotes for every week and month of 2026.
8. Write 100 blog posts in all. The weeknotes and monthnotes count towards this - so really I've only got 36 extra posts to write!
9. Attend all twelve mandolin meetups.
10. On at least one day, spend a full six hours just playing mandolin.
11. Record myself playing at least twelve pieces. This amounts to one per month, and will let me look back on how I am progressing a little. After all, I would like to be able to progress slowly, to the point where I am maybe eventually able to perform.
12. Work towards achieving my mandolin grades.
12. Do not bite my nails for a six month period. I managed several months in 2025 before returning to biting again from stress, so the plan is to stop biting and keep it up in 2026.
13. Go two full months with a maximum of 30 minutes of phone use per day. I managed a full month in 2025 - now to up the stakes.
14. Go two more full months with a maximum of 60 minutes of phone use per day. The plan next year is to really keep technology under control.
The main studying I am doing is for my insurance, and likely it is best to keep it that way - I don't want to be so overwhelmed.
15. Finish the M05.
I have somewhat neglected the allotment this year, and so in 2026, I do want to do it more, but of course also need to acknowledge time is limited. I'm taking steps to make it easier to manage, but either way I need to be consistent.
16. Go to the allotment at least once per week.
17. Visit a new country.
18. Take at least fifty photos. I don't take many photos generally, and am slowly coming around to the idea that I do need to take some photos at least, so that I have some record of what I've done. As I've learnt from the Modern Wisdom podcast, not taking photos is a reaction against taking photos exclusively for social approval, but that is actually a non sequiter. I can still take photos for my own sake.
Rest yet to be decided...