5 lessons I am bringing into the new year
As the year ends, I find myself thinking less about resolutions and more about clarity. Every year teaches us something valuable. What matters is taking stock of those lessons and deciding what we bring along for the road ahead.
These are five lessons I’m bringing with me as I turn the page into 2026.
Credibility is quieter than praise
Who do you trust? I’ve come to find that credibility does not come from those who praise you, but from those who hesitate before judging you. Praise is easy to give and often fleeting. It costs little and proves little.
Credibility, on the other hand, is built over time. It shows itself when decisions withstand scrutiny and deliver consistently, even when no one is watching. It is quiet, steady, and far more valuable than applause.
Trust the process more than the people
Good people matter, but people are human after all. They get tired, emotional, and are sometimes wrong. The right process reduces mistakes and keeps decisions consistent, especially when the pressure is high. Good intentions don’t prevent mistakes, good systems do.
No one knows your business better than you
Trust yourself. No one understands your business, your context, or your responsibility better than you do. Every piece of advice has two sides, and advice that merely makes you feel good often leads to subjective and sometimes wrong decisions. Listen widely, but decide for yourself. That responsibility cannot be outsourced.
How you think shapes who you become
Most bad decisions I’ve seen weren’t made with bad intent — they were made with narrow exposure. How you think comes from what you see and experience. Limited exposure leads to limited thinking, while broader perspectives challenge our deep-seated assumptions, deepen our reasoning, and improve overall judgement.
The higher you can lift your vantage point, the more clearly patterns emerge. And with clearer thinking comes better decision-making, not just in business, but in leadership and life.
Never stop learning
All of us have blind spots. Learning is what helps us recognise, revise, and remove those biases. So we have to keep learning, not simply to accumulate knowledge, but to sharpen personal judgement, challenge our assumptions, and stay honest about what we do not yet see. Stay humble, keep complacency in check and never stop learning.
Ready for 2026
If you’re taking a moment to pause before moving forward, good on you. Taking stock is not falling behind, it’s choosing to enter the next season with intention and confidence… and I am with you.
Turn the page with me. Into 2026.
Sincerely,
