I'm not sure I remember the last time I did one of these, but I've kept enough notes and had a big enough year that I feel like I have something to talk about here. Since getting a copy of Tools of Titan by Tim Ferriss I can't stop thinking about the split of Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. It's been my go to for categorisation of goals, habits, priorities. And I think it requires little explanation about what each might entail. So I've used those as subheadings so you may skip what you like.

Healthy

Outdoor adventure

Getting outside is a non-negotiable for me and I keep a list of activities that get me outside. The list (for the first half of the year at least, for reasons which will become apparent) was filled with around 3 outings a month. Some notable memories are:

  • Hiking the Dragon's Back
  • Mountain biking in Llandegla Bike Park
  • Getting down to Cornwall for my gfs birthday
  • Skiing in Tinges
  • Climbing Helvellyn via Striding Edge

Skiing was such a good trip and the first time I'd been to the alps in over 15 years. I'd been skiing a few times at the chill factor to find my snow legs and managed to make the most out of the trip. I'm gutted not to be going again this year, but I know I have many more trips left in me.

Running

I've run a lot this year. Completing my first half marathon and signing up for the Manchester Marathon in April 2025. While I didn't do much "training" I've reaffirmed my love for the activity.

Surfing

The newest addition to the hobby selection. A late summer trip to Portugal with some friends got me hooked. It also gave me fresh understanding of the sport. You see when someone mentioned surfing to me, the image that would come into my head was sandy beaches, sun shining, boards shorts on and ripping some waves. Whereas, in the UK and Europe, surfing is a winter sport. It's thick wetsuits and freezing moustaches that are what this sport is about. At least in this part of the world. I've managed to get out to a few different spots in the UK this year as well, from Scarborough to Hell's Mouth. Still waiting on a trip down south though.

Wise

This year I found out I was becoming a father. Hence why hiking slowed down in the later half of the year. My gf struggled on Helvellyn, ground she would usually excell in but in fact was already pregnant but did not know. I'm excited for the opportunity to become a father and share the responsibility of raising a part of a new generation. I'm ready for the challenge.

I'm also in the process of purchasing a house and moving to North Wales. I'm currently living in Manchester and have lived here for over 10 years. It's going to be heavy contrast moving to a rural town from a busy city but again a challenge I'm ready for. Some of the reasons for moving are; being closer to nature, being closer to the mountains, being closer to the ocean. For me (and my family), this is a wise move.

Retrospectives

I've always been a goal tracker but this year (and last) was a great year for tracking my goals and life progress through what I call "Retrospectives". Every quarter I set out what I would like to accomplish and set a plan for them for the next two weeks. I check back at the end of the two weeks and adjust accordingly. This year was a great test for them and I managed it the whole year. Apart from Q4 because baby prep.

Wealthy

My career has not been straight forward. Between studying at university, going traveling and taking sabbaticals for personal projects I had only racked up half my twenties to working as a Software Engineer. Sometimes I would strugle comparing myself to others of similar age who were further in their career than I. However, recently I have found my confidence again. I've come to understand that not everyones path is same. For example, I said to a friend that my regret from my 20s is not buying a house like he did. He said his regret is not going traveling.

So finding this confidence again has allowed me to drop that jealousy of others and focus on my own ambitions.