Disclaimer: the title is heavily inspired by one of my all-time favorite albums: NOFX - So long and thanks for all the Shoes.

I'm one of those people who can't start a year without some kind of structure. Not a strict New Year's resolution, but usually a rough list of goals, split by quarters. Something loosely inspired by OKRs.

I'm not even sure this approach works that well for me. I've never hit 100% of those goals. Plans change, life happens—and that's fine. Still, having them helps me avoid something that comes too easily: slipping into a comfortable routine, stopping to look around, and missing chances to grow.

That's pretty much what happened to me in 2025.

During the holidays, I took some time to reflect on the year. As an engineer, I couldn't help but look at it through numbers and concrete highlights across projects, health, fun, and work:

• I got married to the love of my life. Easily the best day of my life ❤️
• I watched my first WSL event in Peniche, which sparked my motivation to build Harper.
• I surfed some really good waves in Peniche and explored new spots there.
• I worked out 254 days. A focus area I actually stuck with.
• I visited four countries.
• I went to a fucking Oasis concert in London! It was biblical. Liam is better than never.
• I made 900+ commits across work and side projects (~2.4 per day).
• I shipped my first AI-driven feature at Apollo and learned a lot building an agronomy advice tool for small-scale farmers in Africa.
• I shipped my first solo side project end-to-end. Harper is live. That one matters a lot to me as I'm great at starting things, not so great at finishing them.

It's easy to look at life and focus on what's missing. We compare ourselves to others, even when we know we're playing entirely different games. Social media makes this worse. Not because people are lying, but because we're constantly exposed to other people's highlight reels and timelines.

Looking back at those highlights, I realize I compared myself too often. Worse, I was pushing myself toward goals I don't think I genuinely wanted. More out of social pressure than personal conviction. In the hindsight, I think I did pretty good, actually.

I also avoided doing things I enjoy unless I could justify them. I fell into the productivity trap: if something wasn't useful, measurable, or leading somewhere, it felt wasteful. Fun needed a reason. "Just because I like it" wasn't enough.

I want to change that.

What's next

After some hard moments in 2025, my reflection converged into a simple thought: my time is limited, so how do I actually want to spend it?

Instead of setting goals out of thin air, I'm experimenting with guiding questions:

• What do I genuinely enjoy doing and why?
• Do I want this, or am I chasing someone else's expectations?
• Which habits do I want to keep in 2026?
• Which ones do I want to build?
• Which ones do I want to leave behind?
• What kinds of experiences do I want more of?

I won't share my answers here. The point isn't the answers, it's the method. And maybe that way of thinking helps someone else, too.