For several years now, I’ve been inspired by James Clear and his approach to doing Annual Reviews. Each year, I dedicate time to reflect, evaluate, and plan for the future using a combination of resources that help me stay focused and organized.
Here’s what I use for my reviews:
- Template by Ness Labs – A comprehensive tool for structured reflections. Also, check the presentation for more details.
- Simplified version by James Clear – A concise framework to assess what went well, what didn’t, and what to focus on moving forward.
Combining these resources allows me to see the bigger picture while staying grounded in actionable steps for improvement. The process not only helps me track my progress but also inspires clarity and motivation as I enter the new year.
1. What went well this year?
Health & Fitness
- Maintained a consistent fitness routine with daily training (boxfit, HIIT, capoeira, animal flow) and tried Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ).
- Improved lifestyle habits: stayed sober, walked more, regularly slept 7-8 hours, and woke up early.
Personal Life & Family
- Strengthened relationships as a father and husband, learning and applying insights from parenting and relationship books.
- Reunited with my mother in Thailand after five years apart.
- Maintained friendships with connections in China while building new ones on Samui.
Work & Business
- Celebrated one year with Wildberries, successfully launched the seller platform in China, and solved complex business challenges.
- Completed and earned from the ⊠⊠⊠⊠⊠ project.
Learning & Knowledge
- Achieved significant learning milestones: read 29 books, advanced in Portuguese, improved my Thai, obtained a driver’s license, and explored SEO and public speaking.
- Built projects using Go Language and Hugo, and embraced smarter learning strategies with tools like Anki.
Hobbies & Creativity
- Finished the first round of editing my book.
- Made progress in web projects, including launching CapoeiraWiki and migrating static sites.
- Discovered joy in fishing and manual skills.
Travel & Culture
- Enjoyed local outings on Samui, including hikes and beach trips.
- Discovered inspiring new music (e.g., Khruangbin, Glass Beams, London Grammar).
Emotions & Spirituality
- Maintained a daily journaling habit, practiced self-reflection, and minimized social media usage.
2. What didn’t go so well this year?
- I haven’t published my book yet.
- Occasionally slipped with junk food, excessive carbs, and high coffee consumption.
- Neglected dental care (wisdom tooth).
- Fell short of launching an IT business, and completing projects like ⊠⊠⊠⊠ and ⊠⊠⊠⊠.
- Missed opportunities to deepen connections with inspiring individuals.
- Struggled to maintain advanced Portuguese practice and stayed inconsistent with public speaking projects.
- Missed the chance to visit Brazil.
- Delayed the relaunch of Magazeta.
- Spent too much time on news and non-essential YouTube videos.
3. What am I working toward?
- Health & Fitness: Focus on balanced nutrition, reduce coffee, and improve consistency in fitness routines.
- Languages: Advance in Portuguese and achieve prosody in Thai.
- Personal Growth: Prioritize personal brand development, diversify income streams, and refine investment strategies.
- Family: Build trust and compassion as a father and husband; lead by example for my son.
- Connections: Cultivate meaningful relationships with inspiring and knowledgeable individuals.
- Learning & Creativity: Dive deeper into effective learning techniques, refine language skills, and enhance public speaking abilities.
- Projects: Relaunch Magazeta and continue evolving other creative projects.
- Exploration: Explore more of Thailand with my family and plan a long-overdue visit to Brazil.
- Content Consumption: Limit news and YouTube consumption, focusing on meaningful content and productive actions.
- Public Speaking: Improve by writing speeches, recording podcasts, and practicing delivery.