This is my 2nd Year in Review. This page is an effort to put into the words the progress I have made in life over the past 365 days. Areas where I succeeded, areas where I did not, and overall what I am working towards next year.

This review is 100% for me. I share it to encourage others to do something similar, while also increasing my own personal accountability.

I will be asking myself the same three questions I asked last year:

• What went well this year?
• What didn’t go well this year?
• What am I working toward?

What Went Well?

My Career: I moved from being a contract employee to full-time, and then subsequently received two promotions. Just writing this seems surreal to me, and while it may sound impressive there is some background. I started my job mid-Covid at a startup which was only able to hire me as a contract employee (benefits are expensive). The company then grew to the point where they were able to bring me on full time, and then it grew some more (hence the two promotions). I made a commitment early on to stay with them during 2020, and I was rewarded.

Writing: WOW, I wrote so much this year. Like an absolutely crazy amount. I made a New Years resolution to write 52 articles on this blog (LFG!!) along with many, MANY posts on LinkedIn. The funny thing I’ve realized is that while I enjoy writing, I do not like the aspect of being measured by social engagement. I just like doing it for myself.

Learning to Program: I learned how to code in C# and Python this year. I built a Jumble Bot for our work Slack channel that scrambles words you need to guess. Then in December I decided to learn C# (a programming language) and Unity (a game engine), which are the tools basics required for making a game you can distribute across multiple platform.

My Relationships: I naturally foster and build relationships, and this year was no different. I spent a lot of time with my close group of friends, my family, and my coworkers and developed a large amount of trust within these groups. Also, I built an Instagram account just for fun with a close buddy. I may double down on my relationships in 2022.

Mental Health: This year was a big step forward in my mental health. I saw a therapist for a long time, started meditating and journaling more frequently, and overall started to confront my fears. Like most men (according to what I’ve read on Reddit), I’m always been worried about not being good enough. This year I took on a big challenge (I wrote 52 articles), completed the challenge, and am now walking away from it to take on something new. That feels good man.

What Didn’t Go Well?

Moderation: One of the biggest things I need to work on is moderation. The Podcast Reply All had a great quote “Playing 1 hour of videogames is fun, playing 9 hours isn’t”, which really hit home for me. Due to my nature of wanting to do everything 110%, I am not big on moderation, and this year was no different. However, being able to moderate is a big part of maturing, and it’s something I plan to put significant work into in 2022.

Giving Back: I did not give back nearly as much as I would like to. It’s not only just from my time, but from a financial aspect as well. I can and should do more, and I will make more of an effort next year to do so.

Managing Emotions: I have traditionally not been great at managing my emotions, specifically anger. I’m not alone and my family definitely has a… pattern of anger. That is even more of a reason to continue working on it.

What Am I Working Towards?

Becoming a Developer: Technically, I already am one. I launched one program this year that is used on nearly a daily basis by my company. That’s just scratching the surface though on what’s possible. There are many reasons behind this goal, but foremost is I want to be able to bring ideas I have to life. Also, understanding how to code is one of the best ways to future proof your career, life, and income. There will never be a surplus of people who know how to interact with technology at a granular level.

Focus: I turn 28 this year. I’m starting to get closer and closer towards turning 30 and while that is just a number, I want my path in life to be a bit more clear when I hit that milestone age. To get there, I need to start focusing on more specific goals of who I want to become, and trying to achieve goals that are further out than just one year. That’s why my goal of becoming a developer is so important to me.

Maturing: This is a funny catch-22 goal, because the more mature you become, the more immature you realize you are. This year I want to take a major step in the next phase of my maturity, which will mean taking on more responsibility and living with fewer regrets in life. I’m excited.

Giving Back: This is a goal that I failed this past year. While I did give back some, it is not as much as I would have liked. I can do more next year.

As Always…

My life is a work in progress. If you’re reading this, you’re witnessing the one-year mark of me deliberately building a life that I want to live. I’m frankly astounded by the progress that can be made in one year, and I hope my example can inspire you to make a positive change in your own life.