New Year, Same Foundation

Another year begins, and I find myself less excited about “new year, new me” proclamations. Maybe it’s age, or maybe it’s finally understanding that real growth doesn’t reset with the calendar.

The Resolution Trap

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a few years back. Not because I don’t believe in self-improvement, but because I realized I was setting myself up for failure by treating January 1st as some magical reset button. The person I was on December 31st doesn’t fundamentally change when the clock strikes midnight.

What does change is my awareness. Each year, I become more conscious of my patterns, my strengths, and my limitations. I’m learning to work with who I am rather than against it.

Building on Existing Foundations

This year, I’m not starting from zero. I’m building on:

• The parenting lessons learned from Andriel and Archael
• The technical expertise accumulated over years of working with Azure and AI
• The relationships I’ve nurtured in the tech community
• The habits (good and bad) that define my daily routine

Instead of revolutionary change, I’m looking at incremental improvements. Can I be 1% better as a father? As a developer? As a husband? That compounds over time.

What I’m Carrying Forward

Consistency over intensity. I’d rather write 300 words daily than promise myself a book and write nothing.

Depth over breadth. I’m done chasing every new AI model or framework. I want to master what I use rather than dabble in everything.

Presence over productivity. My kids won’t remember how many pull requests I merged. They’ll remember if I was there.

The AI Reality Check

We’re entering 2026 with AI capabilities that seemed science fiction just three years ago. But I’m not caught up in the hype anymore. The tools are incredible, but they’re still just tools. The thinking, the strategy, the human judgment—that’s still on us.

I’m particularly interested in how AI agents will evolve this year, but I’m approaching it with measured expectations. Real value comes from thoughtful implementation, not just deployment.

What Actually Matters

At the end of 2026, I’ll measure success by:

• Did I show up consistently for my family?
• Did I create value for my clients and community?
• Did I maintain my mental and physical health?
• Did I learn something meaningful?

The rest is noise.

Here’s to building on solid foundations rather than chasing shiny new starts. Happy 2026.