After extensive soul-searching and several conversations with Claude, I’ve identified my New Year’s resolutions for 2026. I know what you’re thinking—these sound like terrible resolutions. But hear me out.

1. I Resolve to Be Lazier

Specifically, I resolve to use more AI, more automation, and more tools. And to stop doing things that don’t have value, or doing things the hard way just because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”

Why am I manually generating this report every week when I could send the csv to Claude to do it? Why am I attending meetings where I contribute nothing and learn nothing? Why am I copy/pasting this content into a template when kiro-cli could do it? Laziness isn’t about doing less work—it’s about not doing stupid work.

In 2026, I’m embracing strategic laziness. If a task doesn’t create value, I’m not doing it. If there’s a tool that can do it better and faster than me, I’m using that tool. If a meeting doesn’t need me, I’m declining it. My time is finite, and I’m done pretending otherwise.

2. I Resolve to Be More Selfish

To focus on my career goals and not give everything I have to my employer.

I’ve watched too many colleagues burn out giving 110% to companies that then laid them off without a second thought. I’ve seen people sacrifice their health, their families, and their own professional development because they felt obligated to put the company first. And you know what? The company doesn’t do the same for them.

Your employer has a relationship with your role, not with you as a person. The moment that role is no longer needed, or the moment the budget gets tight, or stock needs to go up, that relationship ends.

Selfishness isn’t about being a bad teammate, or not giving your company what they pay you for. I still will come in to work everyday and give it my best. But I will also take my PTO, say no to work that doesn’t align with my career goals, and carve out time for learning, networking, and building skills that are mine, not just valuable to my current employer.

3. I Resolve to Be Meaner

To provide more constructive criticism instead of going along with doomed projects simply because I’m trying to be “supportive.”

How many times have I sat in a meeting thinking “this will never work” but stayed silent to be a team player? How many times have I watched a project go off the rails because I didn’t want to “rock the boat”, or I wanted to “stay in my lane”? That’s not being supportive—that’s enabling failure.

Real support means honest feedback. It means telling someone when their approach has a fatal flaw, even if it’s uncomfortable. It means pushing back on bad ideas before they consume months of effort and budget.

In 2026, I’m committing to being more direct. If I see a problem, I’m going to say something. If a project is doomed, I’m going to raise the concern early and loudly. If someone’s approach won’t work, I’m going to tell them, and explain why, and hopefully help them find a better path. That’s not being mean—that’s being a good leader and a good colleague.

Yes, I’ll do it constructively. Yes, I’ll be respectful. But I’m done confusing politeness with professionalism. Sometimes the most professional thing you can do is tell an uncomfortable truth.

The Bottom Line

By doing these three things, I expect 2026 will be a year where I actually accomplish something meaningful instead of just being busy.

Be lazy about the work that doesn’t matter. Be selfish about your career and your time. Be mean enough to tell the truth when it needs to be told.

Happy New Year. Now go be awesome!