I took the first week of January off from writing the newsletter in the hope of obtaining the “feel” for how 2026 is going to go. Each year has a feel or a subtle message that permeates the daily grind. Some years are hopeful, tingling with anticipation of a new year. Other years carry a weight a sort of heavy density that things are going to be rough. I feel that 2026 is the year of new. A year of new adventures, new relationships, new opportunities, and new discoveries. That makes me feel hopeful.
I like a routine but shaking up my routine makes me feel engaged with a new attitude, new purpose and new challenges. I am looking forward to 2026 after a difficult but insightful 2025. I feel that 2026 requires a dual approach. Let’s say a two-pronged attack with one prong on dealing with the past and one prong dealing with the future. Compared to 2025 which was solely focused on the present, 2026 will require reaching backward to bring forward the good things in the past while keeping my eyes fixed on the new world in front of me. This is always a balancing act, but I see lots of similarities in 2009 and 1999. Both of those years had milestones for me. Dual approaches are not always positive because they tend to bifurcate your focus but 2026 is a transition year requiring the history of years before and the flexibility of anticipating new things.
Creating in 2026 will require a seamless incorporation of tried-and-true values while maintaining the speed of an AI empowered world. How we navigate the new technology while holding on to traditional positives is a heavy responsibility which we should embrace to hold off the moral relativism of the age. Let us agree to pause before we act so we can weigh are actions. Then agree that implementing a plan swiftly requires commitment to the goal not smooth journeys.
2026 is a year that requires us to set a plan and commit to the choices, sacrifices and challenges ahead of us to accomplish the goal. 2026 is the year of burning the ships!
Albert R. Hartley