Happy New Year: Strategic Big Rocks for 2025

January 7th feels like the edge of when it’s okay to still say Happy New Year, but let’s roll with it—Happy New Year! Instead of resolutions or predictions, I’m focusing on personal strategies. Strategy, at its core, answers one question: how to win. In personal strategies, this means identifying what success looks like for you—whether it’s achieving professional goals, maintaining balance, or pursuing long-term aspirations—and then charting a clear, actionable path to get there. This idea resonates with me, especially after years of working on strategic roadmaps and consulting.

Speaking of roadmaps, I once had a client who hired us for an IT roadmap, only to reveal they needed help relocating their IT infrastructure within a month. It’s a stark reminder of how subjective terms like “strategy” or “roadmap” can be. True strategy means facing uncomfortable truths and aligning with what truly matters—like profitability or balanced satisfaction scores for employees and customers—instead of focusing solely on revenue.

Podcasts and Deep Dives

Lately, I’ve been enjoying long-form podcasts. Lex Fridman’s interviews are fascinating marathons, but my current favorite is Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO. His guests—founders, authors, entrepreneurs—offer deep insights. One guest, a behavioral scientist, talked about balancing competence and warmth to avoid being seen as arrogant or a pushover. She also suggested asking engaging questions like, “What big goals have you set for this year?”—a thought-provoking alternative to “What do you do?”

My Big Rocks for 2025

Here are my key priorities for the year ahead, chosen to reflect both personal and professional strategies that align with my long-term goals for growth and success:

1. Home renovations: We’ve finished the bathroom and are halfway through the kitchen. Flooring and wall work are next, and I’m eager to see it all come together.
2. Content creation: Publishing more books, music and other media remains a priority. It’s not about quick riches but building a creative legacy through IP and royalties.
3. Investments: I plan to be more active in managing our family investments, shifting from a too long “set and forget” approach to staying engaged at least on a quarterly check instead of years-long neglection (like home maintenance).
4. Data & AI Product Success: This year, my work focus is on driving success for our Data & AI products. Aligning technical and business strategies to achieve product-market fit is my top professional goal.

Wrapping Up

If you’re new here, welcome! I write as if speaking to my AI ghostwriter, Echo, who refines my thoughts into readable posts. For deeper dives into AI, check out Technosoof, the podcast I co-host with Ronald, or my Meta Mike musings on XR and beyond.

Here’s to 2025—a year of strategy, big rocks, and maybe even a finished kitchen. Until next time, Happy New Year!