Putting it out there — starting 2023

3 min readJan 6, 2023

Often times when you sit down to write, you catch a groove. Usually it’s in the morning, with a fresh mind and caffeinated energy. For me, it’s after 11:30pm with my newborn daughter sleeping next to me for the first of her few nighttime sleep stints.

I haven’t written anything like this for a while, and am conscious the majority of impressions will be from me going back to re-read my thoughts. But, as the title said, I’m going to try to put something out there as a start to 2023. Plus, I just miss writing like this.

These are strange times to be discussing “plans”, given the latest news from Amazon, Salesforce, Meta, Stitch Fix, Vimeo, etc. But what are we if not planners? Even in the toughest times, thinking ahead can be a solace.

So, with 2023 stretching ahead of me, I wanted to write down what I think I can achieve this year. Are these resolutions? No, because I cannot really resolve to do any of this given how quick the wind (and diaper) changes. These are here for my own recollection, and for anyone who reads and runs into me to keep me honest.

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Learn how to be a professional parent / spouse

I’m a new dad, and my partnership with my wife has changed forever. This year I want to learn how to provide for my family at home and through work.

Stop getting distracted

I used to never watch TV, then in 2020 it was all we could do in the evenings. I haven’t fully read a book in months and found myself (after deleting other social apps) scrolling LinkedIn like it was an Instagram feed. I want to train that voice in my head to pipe up more often.

Merge my training with the rest of my life

I love long distance races. I did 3 triathlons in 2023 and lived a heavily (excessive) training life. My dedication was astounding. Now, how do I apply all that energy to the rest of my life? How can I plan, wake up, execute, track, optimise, improvise, and perform in all other areas?

Decide what spirituality means to me

Not a work-friendly topic, but I’ve been straddling spirituality for years now and, with a new addition, need to stop living in purgatory (pun intended)

Help my partner restart her career

My wife was laid off in the summer amongst the middle waves of tech layoffs. She wants to get back to work (when she’s ready). If I can help her in even 10% of that journey I’ll be happy. She’s super qualified and some of the comments her last reports wrote about her made my best boss seem like Michael Scott. She deserves to thrive, especially after thriving as a mother.