Things I'm focused on in 2026

A new year has arrived and for me it doesn’t serve as a reset button, but an invitation to reflect and be deliberate with my intentions. This new year I’m taking this time to decide what deserves my attention moving forward. And mostly this means focusing on what matters to me most.

My progress will come from clear intentions which I follow through with consistently. I use the BRAVE framework to guide me. because if my intentions are going to be successful they will be built through belief as it reminds me that confidence is built through action and evidence. Resilience keeps me going when momentum dips. Adaptability allows me to adjust without losing direction. My vision gives my effort meaning. And my energy determines whether it is sustainable.

This list is a reflection of what I’m committed to paying my attention to this year and how I want to show up, train, work, recover and live. These are the things I’m focused on in 2026, and the standards I’m choosing to live by.

“You can, you should, and if you are brave enough to start, you will” - Stephen King

1. Competing with Myself

   I’m choosing to compete only against myself, which means leaning into my own standards and not comparing to other peoples outcomes. This means measuring progress by my effort and consistency against my vision. And showing up to train, work and live aiming to more aligned. Competing against myself requires all of the brave pillars but mostly a belief in the process and the energy to keep going.

   There are many things I can’t control, but what is in my control is showing up and consistently giving my best effort, following my process and then improvement becomes inevitable. not focussed on others and risking comparison, looking inward and focusing on each day what effort I give ultimately results in my own progress, growth and happiness.

2. Challenging Myself Physically

   My training in the past couple of years has changed significantly, no longer am I focused on competitive ultra running and the training required to compete in these events. I have been focused more on my holistic fitness and health using a combination of running, strength training and yoga to keep my body in shape. While this has been a positive pursuit, there is a void in my life, this being the feeling of pushing myself to my physical limits.

   I need to get back to pushing myself further, treat my body rigorously and challenge myself. For my heart health I’m not going back to long running, but there is an opportunity to regularly challenge myself further. Push myself to get a little faster, a little stronger and challenge myself to improve my yoga. My vision is I feel fulfilled physically, become fitter and strong and see body composition changes. My routine will still be running, strength and yoga but I’m going back to challenging my myself and my limits.

3. My Information Diet

   I have a strong intention of paying closer attention to what I consume online, not just how much time I spend on screens, but how that information shapes my focus, energy and thinking.

   This means being intentional with social media and noticing when scrolling replaces my curiosity or action. I aim to be engaging with information that helps and challenge me to grow and less content that leaves me distracted.

   While it doesn’t mean disconnecting from the world, it’s does mean disconnecting from the world at times. Not picking up for phone for the first 90 minutes after waking and before sleep. Leaving my phone at home when I go out with my family. Giving myself time for solitude away from my phone to protect my mental space and give my brain time to recover and think. When we are overstimulated digitally it impacts our ability to think clearly, train consistently and act with purpose.

   Nothing great happens without focus. What I consume influences how I show up and perform and the most important projects in my life deserve my full attention

   Less noise. More clarity. Better decisions

4. Want Less

   Less noise, less accumulation, and less chasing of things that don’t meaningfully add to my life. My intention of wanting less is about appreciating and being grateful for what I already have and recognising that enough is more powerful than more. The power of wanting less shows up in how I consume, avoiding purchases driven by impulse and upgrades for the sake of status. Avoiding the online world driven by endless engagement and comparison and instead choosing presence over performance.
   When we want less we create space for focus and energy. And space for doing the work that actually matters to me. It’s heavily linked to competing only with myself and living holistically to our biological truths and my own values. By simplifying my wants, I strengthen my self-trust, reduce distraction and be more deliberate and more anchored in my own direction.

   As I move into 2026, I’m less interested in dramatic change and more committed to deliberate direction. These intentions are designed to keep doing what matters to me with care, consistency, and self-respect.

   Using the BRAVE framework gives me a way to navigate uncertainty with intention. This year I’m not chasing outcomes or out to prove anything. I want to become someone I trust to show up consistently, live by my standards and move forward with purpose.These are the things I’m focused on as commitments I return to daily.