Here we are, midway through the 2020s. Doesn’t it feel like 2020 was both yesterday and a lifetime ago? Time flies, as the saying goes. But even as time rushes past, how many of us remain unchanged?
Incredible, world-shaking events have unfolded, yet we often find ourselves stuck in the same patterns, much like the gladiators Marcus Aurelius described—wounded and exhausted, yet pleading for just one more day to endure the same struggles.
There’s nothing inherently magical about a new year or the halfway mark of a decade, but these milestones can hold power. They encourage us to pause, reflect, and reset. Even the Stoics embraced such moments. Seneca, for instance, reportedly began each year with a plunge into the icy Tiber River—a ritual to wash away the old and prepare for the new.
As 2025 approaches, I’m committing to a handful of habits and best practices to help me grow. Many of these ideas were inspired by the Daily Stoic’s New Year, New You Challenge, which has become a cornerstone of my own annual reset. Here’s what I’ll be focusing on in the year ahead—and I hope you’ll consider joining me.
Do the Essential Things First
The way you start your day sets the tone for everything else. As novelist Philipp Meyer wisely said, “You have to be very careful about to what (and to whom) you’re giving the best part of your day.” Morning energy is precious—it’s when your willpower and focus are strongest. Use it wisely.
For me, mornings are very ritualistic. I prioritise getting in my essential supplements and nutrition before anything else. I do not schedule calls or meetings before mid-morning because early distractions don’t just steal time—they drain energy that’s best spent on what matters most. Protecting your mornings doesn’t have to be elaborate; it’s about making sure the first things you do are the ones that truly count.
Think Small
Big goals can be inspiring, but they’re also overwhelming. That’s why James Clear’s concept of “atomic habits” is so powerful. Small, consistent changes—like improving by just 1% in key areas—can add up to extraordinary results over time.
Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, once said, “Well-being is realised by small steps, but is truly no small thing.” Start small.
Want to read more? Commit to a single page a day.
Struggling with fitness? Begin with a walk around the block.
Trying to eat healthier? Swap one snack for something nutritious.
The momentum you build with small actions creates lasting change.
Focus on Process, Not Goals
Most people start the year with goals: lose 20 pounds, write a book, learn a language. The problem? Goals are often outside your control. What you can control is the process—the daily habits and systems that lead to progress.
For instance, don’t sit down to “write a book.” Focus on and commit to writing for a few hours each day. Over time, a book will emerge naturally. Instead of fixating on the finish line, focus on the steps that move you forward. The results will take care of themselves.
Create or Remove Friction
If you want to break a bad habit, make it harder to do. For example, don’t keep social media apps on your phone. If you want to check Instagram, ask your wife for her phone. That small barrier is often enough to make you think twice.
Conversely, if you want to build good habits, make them easier. At home, we pack lunches the night before. On my desk, my headphones are always within reach, ready for me to start writing each morning. The easier it is to begin a habit, the more likely you are to stick with it.
Do Something Good
In a chaotic world, small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Marcus Aurelius advised moving from one unselfish act to another, finding delight and stillness in serving others. Whether it’s holding a door open, mowing a neighbour’s lawn, or donating to a cause, these actions compound over time—just like good habits.
But kindness doesn’t have to be grand. Ask yourself daily: What good turn can I do today?
Do Less, Better
Matthew McConaughey shut down several side projects to focus on excelling in just three areas: family, his foundation, and his acting career. Similarly, Maya Smart set boundaries to say “Yes” to writing her first book.
Marcus Aurelius wrote that doing less “brings a double satisfaction.” Not only do you free up your time, but you also improve the quality of what you choose to focus on. In 2025, consider what you can let go of to excel in what truly matters.
Set Boundaries
Healthy boundaries are essential. Without them, we leave ourselves vulnerable to the chaos and demands of others. This year, commit to drawing lines around your time, energy, and priorities. Avoid “energy vampires”—those who drain you with their drama and dysfunction. Be clear about what you will and won’t accept, and don’t be afraid to stick to those boundaries.
Don’t Do It All Yourself
Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Don’t be ashamed to need help.” Whether it’s asking for advice, hiring support, or joining a group, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Tim Ferriss has a great question that ties into this: What would this look like if it were easy? Often, the answer involves creating support systems or finding the right kind of help. Building habits, achieving goals, or even just making progress isn’t something you have to do alone.If you’re looking to improve your habits in 2025, find a challenge, join a group, or lean on your team. You don’t have to go it alone.
Escape My Most Expensive Habit
I don’t gamble, and I’m not reckless with money, but I’ve have tried to eradicate an incredibly costly habit: anxiety. It can taken hours of sleep, precious moments with your family, and countless opportunities that slipped away because you are too wrapped up in your own fears. It’s the vacation you couldn’t fully enjoy, the dinner you spoil, the car ride where you stress instead of being present.
Seneca was right when he said, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” Anxiety drags you into a future that hasn’t even happened, making you live through worst-case scenarios that almost never come to pass. And the time and energy anxiety steals? They’re gone forever.
Here’s the good news: if anxiety comes from within, you have the power to let it go. Marcus Aurelius put it best: “Today I escaped from anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me.” Other Stoic philosophers have said similar. Epictetus’ phrase, ta eph’hemin, ta ouk eph’hemin (“What is up to us, what is not up to us”). There’s also a quote from Seneca: “He who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than is necessary.” These phrases anchor me, reminding me that anxiety doesn’t change outcomes—it only makes me suffer in advance.
Breaking free isn’t easy, but I’m practising: staying in the present, letting go of what’s outside my control, and remembering that anxiety is an expensive habit. I refuse to let it cost me any more of my life.
Why I Learned to Say No
Oliver Sacks had in his office a giant sign that simply said, “NO!” That image resonated with me. When Harry S. Truman’s secretary asked if they should decline more requests to manage his workload, Truman tersely replied, “The proper answer underlined, HST.”
These reminders help me pause and think carefully before saying yes to anything.
In tech, they talk about “feature creep”—adding too much until the product loses focus and becomes ineffective. Life works the same way. Trying to please everyone leads to achieving nothing.
E. B. White’s response when asked to join a prestigious commission: “I must decline, for secret reasons.” Or Sandra Day O’Connor’s simple practice of saying no without apology. One of her clerks once observed, “Sandra is the only woman I know who doesn’t say sorry. She just says, ‘No.’” No explanation, no excuses. Just no.
Saying no isn’t easy, but it’s essential. Every yes I give means saying no to something else. Learning to own my no has given me the freedom to focus on what truly matters.
Why I Prioritise Sleep
Every good decision I make depends on having the energy to make it, and that starts with sleep. If I don’t get enough rest, all my other habits and plans fall apart.
We think we can cheat sleep—pull an all-nighter or rely on coffee to keep going. But the truth is, there’s no substitute. My best work, my best relationships, my best self—they all depend on being well-rested.
The greats know this. They protect their sleep because it fuels their performance. As simple as it sounds, getting enough sleep is often the difference between a good day and a bad one.
One of my favourite books for kids says it perfectly: Go the Fck to Sleep!* And it’s true—not just for them, but for me too. A solid bedtime routine is just as important as a productive morning routine. Wrapping up my day and winding down with discipline ensures I’m ready to tackle tomorrow.
When I Fall Off Track
The road to self-improvement is full of missteps. I’ve skipped workouts, cheated on my diet, said yes to too much, and wasted time scrolling through social media. And every time, I’ve felt the pull to give up.
But I’ve learned from people like Dr. Edith Eger. When someone told her they felt guilty about losing touch with someone, she stopped them and said, “If I knew then what I know now, I would have done things differently.” That simple statement lifted the guilt. She reminded me that guilt lives in the past, and the past can’t be changed.
We all have bad days. What matters is what we do next. Marcus Aurelius said it best: “Disgraceful for the soul to give up when the body is still going strong.”
When I mess up, I return to my habits. I don’t let one bad day derail the progress I’ve made. As Marcus advises, I aim to “revert at once to yourself, and don’t lose the rhythm more than you can help.” The goal isn’t perfection; it’s persistence.
Every year, I fall short in some way—breaking resolutions, losing touch, repeating mistakes. But each year, I pick myself back up. I remind myself that the person I want to be won’t appear overnight, but progress is always possible.
As Epictetus said, “From now on, resolve to live as a grown-up who is making progress, and make whatever you think best a law that you never set aside.” Life will throw challenges my way, but I’ll use them to grow stronger. Because every day is another chance to feed the fire of the habits that make me better.
As we step into 2025, let’s embrace these principles to create better habits and live better lives. Small steps, thoughtful processes, and a willingness to ask for help can lead to extraordinary transformation. Here’s to a year of progress, purpose, and positive change.
