What’s In (and Out) for 2026
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I spent the past few days doing a mini-annual review. I pulled down a fancy Moleskine notebook from my bookshelf–the kind I'm usually too precious to write in. At 6 am the other morning, I jotted down a list of things I want to do more and less of this year. Out: Coaching and Consulting. This type of work drains me. Publishing at scale on social media. I couldn't give a hoot about dubious engagement metrics, likes and shares. I'll still create for my socials, but my list comes first. Sales webinars. I tried this model last year. Doesn't suit my mindset at all. See ya Zoom. Paying for high-priced coaches. They almost never work out. In: Running this newsletter. I've been writing online for over a decade, but I've a long way to go! So, I'll still keep writing my newsletter, although not every day like previous years. Coding with AI? That's in too. I'm fascinated by how AI is rapidly becoming a learner partner for my coding projects. So, I'm going to code and build more apps this year. Recording YouTube videos. To document my coding journey, I'll record weekly coding videos for my channel. I'll write about what I learnt too. I've already landed a few sponsors. It's funny how creative work can indirectly pay the bills. But, creative work, whether it's a book, a newsletter or a coding project, is never really done. It is often messy, unfinished, and intimidating Ira Glass, host of This American Life, called this the gap: “Everybody I know who does interesting, creative work they went through years where they had really good taste, and they could tell that what they were making wasn’t as good as they wanted it to be. They knew it fell short. Everybody goes through that.” Whatever you're working on, get comfortable with making mistakes in your work… and in public. There is no one point when you arrive. Some projects work. I wrote a parenting memoir that I was particularly proud of. Some projects flop. My marketing campaign for said book flopped! The only way to close the gap is to stop trying to "arrive" at a perfect finish line. Instead, you just need to set aside time to do the work. That brings me to a big problem many readers here wrote in about last year. A few dozen told me their number one problem is finding time and space to write and create If there's one thing I weirdly excel at it, it's time management. I built this business on the side while working a demanding job as a six-figure copywriter for an FTSE 100. I can help you find time for creative projects that matter, personally or professionally. (No, it's not via 1:1 coaching 😉). This week, I'm opening the doors to The Creator White Space challenge. It'll run all month, but you can join the challenge anytime this week at an affordable price. Let's get messy and build something.
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