How To Make Progress in 2026
Create a winning 2026 with a blank sheet of paper and a glass of wine
Each year, my wife — Caroline — and I go to dinner and tally the wins of the prior year and share our dreams out loud.
Whatever we write down tends to happen! It’s eerie.
Whether you’re thinking about your work life and/or home life, here’s how you can have it all in 2026.
All you need is a blank sheet of paper. Fold in in half so you have four panels:
Step 1: 2025 Wins!
List of wins you had in 2025. Sort of like a gratitude journal.
Here’s what Caroline and I came up with for our two businesses and our family:
Examples include:
Work Milestones:
LPs: raised $mm, raised/received commitments for $mm in Fund, expanded relationships with key LPs
Deal Sourcing and Investment
Sourcing: sourced [x] deals, submitted [y] LOIs; mix of original ideas vs banker sourced deals
Capital Deployment: deployed $[x]mm into [y] deals which demonstrate firm’s investable themes
Firm Management: created stronger team, promoted people who demonstrated competency, added to the team, improved culture
Life/Family events: family additions/relations, house
Financial: created a clear picture of my firm’s economic model
Health: improved health; weekly exercise, trainer
Giving Back: enriched my community, helped people, taught, volunteered, donated
Emotional/Feelings: felt more confident than ever, settled in a new position, resolved conflicts that were holding me back
Your attention is your most valuable resource.
Wherever you direct your attention grows.
Step 1T: 2025 Thorns
What didn’t go so well in 2025?
You are resilient and work through a lot of unexpected curve balls. This year, The Palisades wildfire consumed our home and paradise. We live on but I miss floating in a pool under the stars; Caroline misses her dad.
Step 2: 2026 Wants / Ideas
Turn the sheet of paper over, and make a list of what Behaviors / Results want to create in 2026.
Imagine it is December 2026, and write down what you’ve achieved in the past tense in the following areas; e.g. “I have…”
Work Milestones:
LPs:
Deal Sourcing and Investment
Sourcing:
Capital Deployment:
Firm Management:
Life/Family events:
Financial:
Health:
Giving Back:
Emotional/Feelings:
Step 3: What’s a CRAZY ask for 2026?
Beneath your 2026 list, write down what would be a wild outcome. A stretch far beyond what you visioned in step 2.
Step 4: Let me in on it
Take a picture and text it to me. Happy to talk through it together for 30m to make it a reality in 2026.