Every new year brings a familiar urge to reset — to set new goals, change habits, and promise ourselves that this will be the year everything clicks.But as I think about my goals for 2026, my focus isn’t on starting over. It’s on building properly on the changes I already began last year — and becoming more consistent with them. 

In my last post, I took some time to look back on the year that was — what went well, what didn’t, and what I learned along the way. That reflection made one thing very clear to me: 2025 was about laying foundations. 

I experimented more, tried new routines, and started projects without always knowing where they’d lead. Some things stuck, others didn’t — but all of it helped me understand what actually works for me.

So in today’s post, I want to do the opposite of looking back. I want to look forward. 

Rather than chasing entirely new versions of myself for 2026, my goal is to strengthen what’s already there: showing up regularly, following through, and turning progress into habits. This year isn’t about reinvention — it’s about consistency. 

Here’s what that looks like across my life in 2026. 

Writing & Blogging Goals for 2026: Turning Momentum into a Habit

One of the biggest lessons I took from 2025 was that enthusiasm alone isn’t enough. I had ideas, drafts, and half-finished posts — but what I lacked was a steady rhythm. I tried to do too much at once, and when life got busy (as it always does), consistency was the first thing to slip. 

So in 2026, I’m changing how I approach blogging — not by doing more, but by doing it more reliably. 

My goal this year is simple and intentional: 

• Publish one blog post every two weeks 

• Treat anything beyond that as a bonus, not an expectation 

This gives me space to balance writing with everything else I’ve got going on — work, travel, creative projects, and life in general — without burning out or disappearing for months at a time. 

Growing the Blog Without Turning It Into a Chore

One thing I didn’t fully expect last year was just how many people the blog ended up reaching. What started as a personal space to write and reflect slowly found its way to more readers than I ever imagined — and that’s something I’m genuinely proud of. 

In 2026, I want to build on that momentum in a light-touch way. I’d like to experiment more with sharing posts on platforms like Reddit and Pinterest — not to chase numbers, but to see if my writing connects with people who might not otherwise stumble across it. I started to dip my toes into this toward the end of last year, and it showed me there’s potential there — if I approach it sensibly. 

The challenge for me is doing this consistently, without becoming obsessive. This blog is something I enjoy; it’s a creative outlet, not a side hustle. My aim is to find a sustainable rhythm that helps the blog grow naturally and maybe even build a small community around shared interests — without letting it turn into a chore. 

To support all of this, I’ve already taken a step I didn’t take seriously enough last year: planning ahead. I’ve put together a loose publishing schedule with target dates and rough post ideas, many of them tied to events I already know I’ll want to write about. It’s not perfect, and it’s not rigid — but it gives me direction. 

With trips planned, experiences I’m genuinely excited about, and a busy year ahead, this feels like the right balance. My aim isn’t to flood the site with content — it’s to build trust with myself and with anyone reading by simply showing up, consistently. 

If I can do that all year, I’ll consider it a win. 

Fiction Writing: Finishing What I’ve Always Started

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to write a novel. I’ve had ideas, characters, fragments of scenes — but never anything that truly held together. Every attempt fizzled out somewhere between excitement and overwhelm. 

That started to change at the end of 2025. 

Instead of jumping straight into writing chapters, I slowed down and focused on structure. For the first time, I treated this like a real project rather than a burst of inspiration — and the difference has been huge. 

So far, I’ve: 

• Created a full story outline 

• Planned the main acts and key plot beats 

• Written four detailed character profiles 

That might not sound like much on paper, but it’s miles further than I’ve ever been before. I even have a working title: The Ashes of Fellwatch. 

So my goal for 2026 is to complete the first full draft of the novel. 

Not a polished draft. Not a publishable one. Just a finished version. 

This year isn’t about perfection — it’s about proving to myself that I can carry a creative project all the way through, even when motivation dips or life gets busy. If I can stay consistent and keep moving forward, word by word, that alone will be a huge personal milestone. 

If I reach the end of the year with a complete draft — no matter how rough — I’ll consider that a success. 

Career & Learning Goals for 2026: Challenging Myself Again

Over the last year, my career has started to shift back toward a more technical focus — and with that has come a renewed sense of motivation. I’ve realised how much I enjoy being challenged, learning new systems, and building confidence through hands-on problem solving. 

In 2026, I want to lean into that — and I also want to be realistic about where technology is heading. 

Building Skills for Where Technology Is Heading

In a similar way to how I’ve gradually moved away from maintaining physical PC hardware at home, more and more of the systems we rely on are shifting to the cloud. I want my skill set to reflect that future. Developing a stronger understanding of cloud platforms and modern architectures feels like the right next step, both professionally and personally. 

Rather than drifting or learning reactively, I want to be intentional about how I grow. That means setting clear goals and backing them up with recognised certifications — not to collect badges, but to prove to myself that I’m continuing to move forward. 

My aim this year is to achieve at least two technical certifications, focusing on areas that genuinely interest me and align with where I want my career to go. 

Specifically, I’m planning to: 

• Complete AZ-104 

• Achieve AI-900 

• Finish my VMCE training 

• Begin work towards the AZ-305 certification

To support this, I also want to rebuild a routine that’s worked well for me in the past: waking up at 5am to study before the workday begins. Having quiet, uninterrupted time in the morning makes a huge difference, and it allows me to make steady progress without trying to cram learning into already busy evenings. 

As with everything else this year, the approach is consistency over intensity. Small, regular study sessions will matter far more than bursts of motivation followed by long gaps. 

If I finish 2026 feeling more confident in my technical abilities along with having new industry recognised certifications, I’ll be much better prepared for the future, and I’ll consider this a success. 

Health & Fitness Goals for 2026: Rebuilding a Simple Routine

Health-wise, I’ve put a lot of things in place over the last few years. I eat well, and that’s something my partner and I put real time and effort into. That foundation matters — and it’s something I want to keep building on. 

Where I’ve struggled more is consistency with exercise. 

I’m very aware that working a desk job means I don’t move around nearly as much as I should. While eating well is important, regular exercise plays a huge role in things like heart health, energy levels, long-term wellbeing, and maintaining a healthy, stable weight. It’s easy to let movement slide when days get busy, but it’s something I’m determined to do better with this year. 

Toward the end of last year, I was going to the gym — just not regularly enough to build real momentum. Nothing dramatic happened; life simply got busy, and workouts became easier to postpone. 

So in 2026, I want to bring things back to basics. 

This isn’t about extreme plans or drastic changes. It’s about showing up regularly and making movement a normal part of my week again. 

Making Movement Part of My Workday

Alongside the gym, I’ve also made a few practical changes to support this. I have a sit–stand desk that I can raise and lower, and I’ve added a walking pad that fits underneath it. I already use it occasionally, but — once again — the challenge is consistency. 

To change that, I’m setting a clear, simple habit for this year: a 100-minute walk every morning starting at 8am when I begin work on days I’m working from home. It’s an easy way to stay active without disrupting my workflow, and it helps me feel more energised and focused throughout the day. For me, it’s a genuine win–win. 

So for my 2026 Fitness Goals 

• Reduce body fat to 15% 

• Increase muscle mass to 55kg 

• Maintain a consistent gym routine 

• Build a daily walking habit while working from home 

The numbers give me something measurable to work toward, but the real goal is consistency — building routines that fit around my life rather than ones that fall apart when things get busy. 

If I can finish the year healthier, stronger, and more consistent than I started it, that alone will be a big win. 

Reading Goals for 2026: Slowing Down and Making Space

Reading has become one of my favourite ways to slow down. It’s one of the few habits that naturally pulls me away from screens, helps me be more present, and gives me space to properly switch off. 

In 2026, I want to protect that habit — without turning it into a numbers game. 

My goal is to read 24 books this year, which feels realistic alongside everything else I’ve got planned. I’ve thought about aiming higher, but I know from experience that setting an overly ambitious target can take the enjoyment out of it. I want reading to stay something I look forward to, not something I feel pressure to keep up with. 

I’m also being more intentional about what I read. I want a real mix of fiction and non-fiction, and a variety of genres. Non-fiction helps me learn, reflect, and see the world differently — but fiction is just as important for keeping me inspired, creative, and curious. 

What I Want to Read This Year

At the moment, I’m reading F1 Insider by Ted Kravitz, with The Inside Story of McLaren F1 by Ben Hunt lined up next. It feels like the perfect time to work through these during the Formula 1 off-season, especially with the big regulation changes coming in 2026 and a new era on the horizon — it’s a nice way to stay connected while I wait for the lights to go out again. 

Once those are finished, I’ll finally be tackling a long-overdue reading goal: J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth books. That means starting with The Hobbit, followed by The Lord of the Rings — a fantasy journey that I’ve somehow never got around to reading before. 

More than anything, this goal isn’t about the final number at the end of the year. It’s about making time to read regularly, enjoying the process, and choosing activities that help me slow down in a world that constantly encourages the opposite. 

If I finish 2026 having spent more evenings reading and fewer hours mindlessly scrolling, I’ll be very happy with that. 

Social Life & Shared Experiences: Making the Time on Purpose 

I wouldn’t describe myself as overly social by nature. I’m comfortable in my own space, and I don’t always feel the need to be busy or surrounded by people. But last year made something very clear to me: when I do make the effort to see friends, I always feel better for it. 

At times in 2025, I realised I’d let myself feel a bit isolated — not because I didn’t value my friendships, but because I hadn’t prioritised them properly. And when I did spend time with friends, it reminded me how much I appreciate them and how easy it is to miss out if I don’t plan ahead. 

So this year, I want to be more intentional about that. 

One simple goal I’ve set myself is to go karting with friends at least four times throughout the year. It’s something I really enjoy, it gives us a reason to get together, and it creates memories rather than just conversations in a group chat. 

I also want to finally do something I’ve been talking about for years: hosting a Formula 1 race-day BBQ. Most of my friend group follows Formula 1, we talk about it most weeks, and we even run a Fantasy F1 league together — so it feels like an obvious excuse to get everyone in the same place at the same time. 

None of this is about becoming more outgoing or forcing myself into situations that don’t feel natural. It’s about recognising that shared experiences matter, and that friendships need a bit of effort to stay strong — especially as life gets busier. 

If I can look back at the end of the year and know I made more time for the people I care about, I’ll be glad I did. 

Being More Present: Choosing What Deserves My Time 

More than anything else, this year is about being more present. 

Over time, it’s easy to let days get filled with noise — scrolling on my phone, watching videos I don’t really care about, or defaulting to habits that don’t add much value. None of those things are bad in isolation, but they can quietly take over if I’m not paying attention. 

In 2026, I want to be more deliberate with my time and energy. 

That means planning ahead instead of drifting. Making time for friends and family rather than assuming it’ll “just happen.” Being more present in my relationship. Choosing experiences over distractions, and progress over autopilot. 

A big part of this is continuing to reduce how much I use my phone. Last year, I made a good start by deleting unnecessary apps, cutting back on games, and trying not to carry my phone around with me all the time. This year isn’t about cutting it out entirely — it’s about continuing that progress and building healthier habits. 

So, for my digital focus goal for this year 

• Reduce average phone usage to under 2 hours per day 

Less mindless scrolling. More intention. 

When I look across all my goals for 2026 — writing, fitness, learning, reading, and spending time with people — they all come back to the same idea: showing up consistently for the things that actually matter.

My Goals for 2026, Clearly Defined

To keep myself honest and accountable, here’s everything in one place: 

• Publish 2 blog posts per month, consistently 

• Complete the first draft of The Ashes of Fellwatch 

• Achieve 2 technical certifications 

• Read 24 books 

• Reduce body fat to 15% 

• Increase muscle mass to 55kg 

• Build a daily walking habit while working from home 

• Go karting 4 times with friends 

• Reduce phone usage to under 2 hours per day 

Final Thoughts: A Year Built on Consistency 

When I look at my goals for 2026 as a whole, they’re really all about the same thing: consistency. Last year was about experimenting and laying foundations. This year is about building on them — consistently.

Not perfectly. Not all at once. 
Just showing up, regularly, and putting in the work where it matters. 

If I can do that, 2026 will be a success. 

If you’ve set goals for this year, I’d love to hear about them. What are you focusing on in 2026?